


Opportunity

by thatwasamazing



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Alcohol, Alpha/Alpha, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Doctors, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Angst with a Happy Ending, Bathing, Blow Jobs, Car Sex, Christmas, Comeplay, Coming Untouched, Dirty Talk, Don't copy to another site, Dreams and Nightmares, Drunk Sex, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Flirting, Fluff, Frottage, Hallucinations, Hannibal Lecter is Not a Cannibal, Intercrural Sex, Jealousy, Knotting, M/M, Masturbation, Mating Bites, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Medical stuff, Misunderstandings, No mpreg, No murder, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, POV Alternating, Pining, Scenting, Semi-Public Sex, Slow Burn, Texting, age gap, background Margot/Alana, brief Hannibal/Alana, brief Will/Margot, brief Will/OC, long chapters, mentions of blood in a sexual context, sap, they switch
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-16
Updated: 2020-04-05
Packaged: 2020-09-01 03:36:29
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 124,936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20251528
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwasamazing/pseuds/thatwasamazing
Summary: **Omegaverse Hannigram Doctor AU!**Dr. Hannibal Lecter, Alpha and Chief of Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, accepts Dr. Will Graham, also an Alpha, as his sole surgical resident. In each other they both find something they didn’t know they could have...but of course it takes them awhile to get there 😉The amazing edits used on the cover above were created by the fabulousmadsmeetsmisha- thank you for letting me use them!(WILL BE ON HIATUS AFTER CHAPTER 11 SORRY, I WILL RETURN TO IT WHEN I CAN)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [madsmeetsmisha](https://archiveofourown.org/users/madsmeetsmisha/gifts).

> Happy late birthday to the incredible [madsmeetsmisha](https://madsmeetsmisha.tumblr.com/)! ^_^ This is for you! ❤️ 
> 
> Disclaimer: I am NOT a doctor and I have NOT been to med school. I do work in the medical field but I make NO claims that the medical information in this story is 100% accurate or how residencies actually work (I did try my best though with what I could find from the internet and watching Scrubs) ^_^ If you see anything wonky feel free to let me know.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Will's first day of residency

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some medical terminology in this chapter - you absolutely do NOT need to know it to understand the story (it's just there to make Will and Hannibal look smart), but if you want a cheat sheet to what it means, scroll down to the end notes ^_^

The stunning edits of Will and Hannibal above were created by the incredibly talented [madsmeetsmisha](https://madsmeetsmisha.tumblr.com/) \- thank you for letting me use them! ♥

Dr. Hannibal Lecter, forty year old Alpha, is a surgeon as well as the Chief of Surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. He’s well respected and specializes in cardiothoracic surgery. Every year, many new residents want to work under him, but he has exceptionally high standards and is therefore excessively selective on who he takes; in fact, in his six years in the position he’s accepted a total of only three residents, all of whom have gone on to do great things at great places. It took him only four years to rise to the position of Chief of Surgery, much quicker than any of the previous Chiefs of Surgery in the history of the hospital. As Chief of Surgery, Hannibal is responsible for surgical innovations, the most complex surgeries, research, and attending to only the best residents. However, there hasn’t been a resident under him in over a year, Hannibal claiming none were good enough. The previous Chief of Surgery, Dr. Abel Gideon, is now the Residency Director, and therefore takes the bulk of the surgical residents, as Hannibal only accepts the cream of the crop. 

For those who aren’t intimidated by him, Dr. Lecter - or Hannibal to his peers - is very well liked around the hospital and has an active social life. He loves the opera and is a veritable renaissance man - enjoying drawing, playing the harpsichord, reading, and he especially loves cooking. For this reason Dr. Lecter is particularly well liked at potlucks as he always brings the best food. The hospital staff who do their job well, regardless of what said job is - be it doctor or janitor - find him to be one of the most polite surgeons in the whole hospital. However, the staff who don’t do their job well he has little patience for and has been known to snap at them, especially during urgent situations – why should the patient suffer due to their incompetence? But on the whole, Dr. Lecter is a very polite, charming, respected, and well-liked (yet sometimes feared) man.

So knowing all of this, one might be surprised to know that Dr. Lecter is single. His high standards in the workplace extend to his personal life, realizing life is precious, too precious to waste around stupidity - and lord is there a lot of stupidity in the world. He’s not what one would call promiscuous, but when his ruts come he is always able to find a partner - should he desire to be with company at all - always making it clear that it is a short-term arrangement, much to his partner’s dismay. He’s a unique Alpha in that his choice of partner is rarely dictated by primary _ or _ secondary gender - things like that don’t matter to him. Sure his biology may crave an Omega, but he is more than his biology, and his mind and heart crave an equal. His whole life he has felt superior to all those around him, and unfortunately he has yet to be proven wrong. Somewhat surprisingly, he finds part of him _ wants _ to be proven wrong - to encounter his better, or at least an equal - he craves that more than an Omega. His success in his field translates to him living comfortably in a nice house, and he would privately admit that he’s a little lonely - but it’s an old loneliness, one he’s become accustomed to, and is partially of his own making, because he would prefer no company to bad company.

Hannibal was inspired to become a doctor because of his sister Mischa. As a child, she was almost always ill, and died quite young from leukemia when Hannibal was only eleven. On the day she died Hannibal felt like part of him died with her, and he vowed that he would learn all he could to try and save others in her memory - wanting to spare others the pain he experienced. When Hannibal entered med school, he had planned on becoming a pediatrician, helping children just like Mischa who were afflicted with childhood cancers. However, shortly after his first rotation Hannibal realized that seeing ill children reminded him too much of Mischa, and it hurt more than he was able to cope with on a daily basis; day after day it felt like poking and prodding at a deep wound that will never truly heal - it was unbearable. As he progressed through his rotations, Hannibal found he had a strong aptitude in many other areas and ended up specializing in both cardiology and surgery. Despite this change in focus from his original goal, without fail every year he donates a large sum of money to leukemia research, figuring that if he isn’t able to directly help the cause, he can certainly support those who are. 

*

Will Graham, thirty year old Alpha, has just graduated from medical school. Will has worked hard to get where he’s at. He lost his mother when he was seven years-old to lupus complications - a blood clot in her lungs; after that his father was never the same, becoming incredibly depressed, and has since turned to alcohol and lived something of a transient life. It was hard on Will too, losing his mother, but he’s something of a weed in life - his intelligence helps him persevere and survive, to thrive even in the harshest environments. While his father scraped together a life near the docks, Will had applied for every grant and scholarship he could, and studied his tail off to get where he’s at today. When his mother died in that hospital, he was devastated. His young mind couldn’t understand why despite there being so many medical professionals around her, that his mother still died. He vividly remembers seeing white coat after white coat bustling in and out of the room seeming to speak the foreign language of medical terminology. Why couldn’t these people help her? In processing his grief, he decided he wanted to become a doctor; he’s always been smart and he wanted to help save lives, so others don’t have to go through what he went through.

Will just graduated from Johns Hopkins University and was accepted to one of the best residencies in the country, which also happens to be the primary reason he attended this college in the first place – to get a residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital – the #2 research hospital in the country, second only to Harvard. Will did consider applying to Harvard, but he grew up in the South and figured he would “fit in” better in Baltimore - or at least not stand out as much. Plus, last year he met his girlfriend Margot, an Omega. Margot is in the Master’s program for Healthcare Management, and they met in genetics class. Like every class, Will dreaded the moment they were assigned a group project, but reminded himself that despite his general dislike of people, he_ can _ and _ will _ do whatever it takes to accomplish his goal. He remembers reflecting on the notion of how he could feel so passionate about disliking others, but yet also work so hard to become someone who works _ with _ people, saves people. He finds he can easily delineate the two - he wants to save the body, the mind is for loved ones - and he’s definitely no shrink. He probably _ needs _a shrink but that’s another story entirely. Surprisingly, he and Margot hit it off, both of them lingering at the coffee shop their group met at to work on their presentation. From there it was a dinner and six beers before they ended up in bed together, and without really intending to, fell into a convenient, comfortable, and low-maintenance relationship.

Will wouldn’t say he has a lot of dating experience, but he knows the basics of what is required in a relationship. He is also smart enough to realize that he has neither the time nor the energy to give their relationship the attention he should. Medical school, while not excessively difficult for Will, does require his time and attention; and if he’s honest, after he finishes those responsibilities he often doesn’t have much left to give. Overall he feels like if their relationship got a grade it would be a C. It’s fine - she helps him through his ruts, he helps her through her heats - they spend time together, but there’s nothing really magical. For now they both seem content with the status quo, but Will suspects that they are on borrowed time and is pretty sure Margot knows it too, she’s not dumb. Margot lives in an apartment near the university with two roommates, and Will lives in a small studio apartment three blocks away from the hospital on the other side of town. The topic of her and Will moving in together has never come up, and Will suspects it’s a meaningful omission on both of their parts.

On the last Sunday of June, when Margot leaves Will’s small crummy apartment, there’s a different feeling in the air. Neither of them speak of it, but they both know tomorrow is going to change things. Tomorrow Will starts his residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He’s finally going to get to practice medicine – granted he will be supervised and heavily scrutinized - but he’s not worried about that. Margot has already given him the lay of the land from her point of view, as her program required her to shadow various managers at the hospital already. Apparently the Chief of Medicine, Dr. Jack Crawford, has a reputation for being shrewd and ruthless; allegedly he has been known to prioritize hospital outcomes over the wellbeing of the staff (and sometimes even the patients!). When Will asked her about the doctors, Margot didn’t know quite as much, seeing as how management typically doesn’t interact directly with the physicians. However, she did say the Chief of Surgery, Dr. Lecter, had a reputation for being a polite (and good-looking man) but also a hard-ass with exceptionally high standards that many find intimidating. With those thoughts floating through his head, Will sees her out; Margot almost never spends the night anymore, as Will’s poor sleeping habits and propensity towards nightmares are not conducive to a good night's sleep. To be fair, early on in the relationship she tried to help, to be present during his episodes, but soon both of them realized that grumpy and tired Will was better than grumpy and tired Will _ plus _ grumpy and tired Margot, so he doesn’t hold it against her.

The next morning, when Will arrives at the hospital he is directed to the Resident Orientation in one of the hospital’s many conference rooms. He is the first one to arrive and helps himself to the complimentary coffee, dumping four sugars into it which is two too many but he’s tired. The conference room is set up with rows and rows of desks which seat two to a table. He picks a seat near the back and sips his coffee. He intentionally left his apartment early, despite living just around the corner; he has learned that one of the easiest keys to success is arriving early, because you never know what will happen and it’s always within your control to budget some extra time. It’s served him well so far, and like most doctors he would consider himself evidence-based, so he’s not about to stop now.

As it gets closer to eight o’clock, other residents start to trickle in. The desks around Will slowly begin to fill up, but the chair next to him stays pointedly empty and he’s not surprised - he knows he likely has a sour look on his face. He’s not a morning person to begin with, and his nightmares compound the problem by making the quality of his sleep pretty poor. And on top of that, his personality - even on the best days - is not what one would call friendly. Therefore it’s not exactly a stretch of the imagination to realize he probably looks as unfriendly as he feels right now, if not moreso.

A few minutes later, a dark-skinned man in a suit enters the room and stands at the front. Literally ten seconds before the clock hits eight, an Asian woman conspicuously rushes into the room, causing everyone to turn and stare at her. She must realize she’s almost late; Will watches her scan the room, realizing of course the only open chair is next to him. _ Great. _ She hurriedly makes her way over and drops her bag somewhat loudly on the floor, plopping into the chair with finality. After a beat, she smiles and lets out a breath, asking in a near whisper,

“Hey, did it start yet?”

“No,” Will says, and then is surprised to find himself adding somewhat considerately, “...you didn’t miss anything.”

“Oh great! Thanks!” the young woman says a little louder now that she knows “class” isn’t in session yet. She sticks out her hand and looks him in the eye as she says, “Beverly Katz.” Will takes her hand and shakes it as he replies,

“Will Graham.”

“Nice to meet you Will. Medical or surgical?”

“Medical,” Will says and then considerately adds, “You?”

“Surgical,” she says with pride. At that moment the man at the front of the room starts talking so they both turn their attention forward.

“Good morning,” the man says in a deep booming voice. “My name is Dr. Jack Crawford, your Chief of Medicine. First I want to thank you all for choosing to do your residency with us. If you’re sitting here that means you’re the cream of the crop, the best of the best...but this program is going to make you better, stronger. It’s going to be hard, growth doesn’t come easily; this program will push you to your limits, but I promise you, you will come out the other side a better physician, and a better person. If you have any issues, please discuss them first with Dr. Gideon...” here Dr. Crawford gestures at a man in a white coat off to the side, “...your Residency Director. “However please know I have an open door policy so come see me any time. And at the end of your residency I sincerely hope you all consider staying on with us as staff physicians, we have a lot of great opportunities here for further growth. And with that I’ll turn it over to Dr. Gideon.” The residents clap as Dr. Crawford leaves with a wave.

As Dr. Gideon makes his way to the center of the room, Will uses the opportunity to take another sip of his coffee. The motion draws Beverly’s eye and her expression seems to suggest she_ just now _ noticed everyone around her has coffee and pastries. ‘Where did you get that?’ she mouths silently. Will motions his head toward the back of the room and sees Beverly start to stand up, presumably to get her own coffee. However, that is the exact moment when Dr. Gideon begins speaking so she sinks back into her seat, clearly disappointed her quest for coffee was aborted. Will almost has to hold back a laugh at the forlorn look on Beverly’s face - she looks like a child who's had her ice cream taken away. Will is surprised at his fondness for this girl next to him, realizing she feels like a sister somehow (he’s not sure how he knows that being an only child). 

Will takes a chance and slides his coffee subtly to Beverly’s side of the desk using the side of his fingers. She sees the coffee and when their eyes meet he nods towards it, clearly offering. ‘For me?’ she mouths. He nods. In response her face lights up almost comically and Will wonders if giving this energetic girl caffeine is really a good idea or not but it can’t be helped now. She eagerly accepts it and takes a sip, a disgusted expression immediately replacing her smile. As she sets it down she looks at Will appalled, and again Will has to stifle the urge not to laugh. He belatedly realizes it’s probably cold since he got there so early, and he has a suspicion that the four sugars he put in probably didn’t dissolve all the way (those coffee stirrers are shit) so it probably all sank to the bottom..._ yeah that probably would taste disgusting. Oops. _ This is exactly why he doesn’t try to make friends, he’s shit at it. ‘What the fuck Graham?’ she mouths. He just shrugs and attempts to take it back, and is surprised when she swipes it back with a smile. _ Hmm...maybe he can make friends after all? _She ends up drinking the rest of it as they listen to Dr. Gideon tell them about the hospital’s mission, vision, values, a brief history, and all other manner of things. When they break around ten, Beverly turns to Will with a smirk. 

“You have terrible taste in coffee,” she accuses.

“Oh yes, I see you hated it so much you couldn’t even drink it,” Will teases, lifting the empty cup and shaking it for effect.

“There was more sugar in that coffee than coffee! And it was cold!” she fires back. 

For some reason Will finds he feels quite comfortable with her, so he says “You know, most people would say _ thank you for sharing your coffee_.”

Beverly eyes him for a moment before she says, “Fuck most people,” which causes Will to grin, enjoying her attitude. She grins back, but then pointedly says, “...but thank you for the _ almost _ undrinkable coffee.”

“You’re welcome,” he replies with a smirk, and then Will subsequently realizes this would be the perfect opportunity to ask her out - he could easily offer to buy her a better coffee. The situation is practically gift-wrapped for him, but he realizes he really doesn’t see her that way - nevermind the fact that he technically has a girlfriend. He says ‘technically’ because he knows in his heart that he and Margot aren’t going to last, and he’s pretty sure Margot feels the same way. What they have is safe and comfortable, but it’s in that ‘better than being alone’ category, not the ‘I want to spend the rest of my life with you’ category. Decision made, he gestures towards the back of the room and says, “Now’s your chance to get some of your own.”

“Excellent idea!” Beverly says as she stands. “You want anything?”

“Nah I’m good, thanks.”

With that Beverly leaves to get her coffee, and Will takes the opportunity to use the restroom. When he gets back he has maybe a minute before the orientation starts up again, time only to note Beverly has gotten her coffee as well as a bear claw _ and _ a muffin. When she sees him eyeing them she says, “What?!? I’m hungry. Get your own!” causing him to laugh.

The orientation continues with a seemingly endless parade of hospital doctors giving presentations on their departments, starting with Dr. Gideon talking about surgery. He is followed by Dr. Chilton for psychiatry, Dr. Bloom for pediatrics, Dr. Du Maurier for anesthesiology, Dr. Dimmond for cardiology and internal medicine, Dr. Stammets for endocrinology, Dr. Fell for pulmonology, Dr. Sutcliffe for neurology, Dr. Brown for infectious diseases, Dr. Doemling for gastroenterology, Dr. Lass for oncology, and Dr. McClane for obstetrics and gynecology. As Dr. McClane leaves the room, Will yawns, feeling bored out of his mind. In the past two hours the only new information he’s gleaned are the doctor’s names and professions. He’s not sure why the hospital thinks all the residents need a review of the _ most basic information _ , but when he glances around the room and sees some of them furiously writing down notes or bringing out tape recorders as if they were in school, he wonders if maybe his fellow residents _ do _ need this review. He can’t help how his eyes roll of their own accord, more than ready to break for lunch. Beverly must notice because she cracks a smile, and Will is thankful his desk mate is not one of the furious scribblers.

Will glances at the clock, _ thank god only fifteen more minutes_, and happily realizes there should only be one more speaker before lunch. A moment later the door opens, everyone turning to look as a man walks into the room, and instantly Will detects the energy in the room change; Dr. Gideon looks almost apprehensive, on guard, and half the residents look like sticks got shoved up their asses they’re sitting up so straight. _ Who is this guy? _Will looks him over as he makes his way to the front of the room. He’s a tall good looking doctor with foreign features - European of some kind - and an air of authority around him. He has golden hair, carefully styled, brown eyes, and a muscular frame – Will would bet money he’s an Alpha.

“Who’s that?” Will whispers to Beverly as the doctor in question speaks with Dr. Gideon.

“You don’t know?!? That’s Dr. Lecter – Chief of Surgery! He’s a legend! He’s one of the best surgeons in the country! I really hope he takes me as his resident, but I hear he’s super-selective. Really Will, shame on you!” Beverly says and Will shrugs. This surgeon’s accomplishments are surely impressive, but that’s not what Will is here for. Plus, he takes that information in with a grain of salt. In general he’s noticed that surgeons are like the dumb jocks of the medical world - big egos, playing god, loving the limelight - but that they’re not the best critical thinkers, tending to use their hands to solve problems - not their minds. This surgeon is obviously better than most, but Will is here for _ medical _ residency. Will belatedly realizes this is the man Margot told him about, the hard-ass who’s intimidating. _ Well we’ll see about that. _

“Okay everyone, the last speaker is Dr. Hannibal Lecter, former cardiologist and cardiothoracic surgeon, now Chief of Surgery and author of _ Factors affecting complication rates for catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation _ . Welcome Dr. Lecter, ” Dr. Gideon says and as he speaks Will is surprised. _ Former cardiologist? This surgeon has a medical background too? _ As Dr. Gideon steps away Will is surprised at the enthusiastic clapping from his fellow residents. _ For fuck’s sake he hasn’t said anything yet, _ Will thinks. At the applause, the doctor smiles graciously.

“Hello residents,” Dr. Lecter says, and Will can’t help the shiver that runs through him. _ Holy hell his voice is like velvet, he must be great in bed. _ “I know I have the worst time slot, right before lunch, so I will endeavor to keep this brief.” A few of the residents chuckle appreciatively and Will can tell right away that this man has incredible charm. Dr. Lecter proceeds to tell the class about the exclusive surgeries they do at this hospital, the success rates, and the unique equipment they have. He then goes on to share his current ongoing research projects, and with every word out of his mouth Will is more and more fascinated. This is not a dumb surgeon. This man used to be a cardiologist and he clearly has in-depth medical knowledge, but his surgical knowledge only augments his skillset. His outcomes are incredibly impressive and his research is mind-blowing in its novelty – Will finds himself jotting down a few things he wants to look up later. Will would swear Dr. Lecter just started talking, and is honestly surprised when his fellow residents begin to file out for lunch. _ It’s over already? _ Will is shocked, he wasn’t expecting that at all. He must be staring stupidly as Dr. Lecter talks to Dr. Gideon, because Beverly nudges him to get his attention.

“He’s amazing right? I went to one of his lectures last year – groundbreaking research he’s doing. And he’s such a great speaker!” Will finally turns his attention away from the intriguing doctor at the front of the room to answer Beverly.

“Yes, amazing,” Will says honestly. In that moment Will’s eyes are drawn back to said doctor and somehow the doctor’s warm brown eyes meet his as well, somewhat unsurprising as Dr. Gideon, Dr. Lecter, Will, and Beverly are the only four left in the room. Dr. Lecter smiles at him, and despite the fact that he knows it can’t be true, Will feels like Dr. Lecter heard him call him amazing and he blushes, quickly turning back to Beverly who gives him a knowing look.

“Wanna grab lunch?” she asks.

“Um yeah, sure, let’s go,” Will replies.

As they leave the room, Will can’t help looking back once more at the older doctor, thirsty for information about this interesting man. Just as Will’s body is mostly out the door, his eyes once again meet Dr. Lecter’s and to his surprise the older doctor winks at him! Will instantly turns away, blush deepening as he exits the room.

They end up eating in the cafeteria, sitting with two other medical residents - Jimmy Price and Brian Zeller. Will’s first impression is that Brian doesn’t talk very much, but when he does speak it’s borderline rude - whereas Jimmy seems to be the exact opposite, taking nearly non-stop but all of it amicable and friendly, if over-enthusiastic. Lunch passes by without incident, conversation flowing primarily with Jimmy and Beverly, leaving Will to his thoughts, reflecting on the interesting presentation before lunch and the interesting doctor who did said presentation. 

*

Hannibal is brimming with curiosity as he walks in to the Resident Orientation. He tries not to get his hopes up too high, for disappointment is the likely outcome. In fact, each year he has been more and more disappointed in the quality of the residents, resulting in him not finding any residents worthy of his tutelage in the past few years. Although maybe _ worthy _ is the wrong word – it might be more apt to say _ able to understand his tutelage _. Honestly it feels like medical schools are churning out doctors who don’t even have the basics down, presumably figuring residency will cover the real life applications; but this isn’t just any run of the mill residency, this is one of the best residencies in the country!

As he walks in Hannibal takes notice of how everyone reacts - most appear to be intimidated by him. As flattering as it is that his reputation precedes him, he knows from experience that all minds - but especially young ones - can’t think straight when they are under stress. To remedy this, he turns up his charm, coaxing some laughter out of the nervous residents to calm them down. Goal achieved, he begins his presentation, but has to turn his head away briefly to hide the moue of distaste on his face caused by seeing more than half the residents taking notes when he’s talking about the hospital success rates and types of equipment. _ Really? All of this information is readily available on the internet, a simple google search away. Hardly worth writing down... _

Once class is dismissed, Hannibal lingers a moment to catch up with Dr. Gideon, curious what he’s gleaned from the group so far since he’s been with them all day. Unfortunately Dr. Gideon is less than helpful, having primarily been the giver of information today, not the receiver. Dr. Gideon then asks if he still wants to lead rounds tomorrow to evaluate the residents himself and Hannibal smiles at that - _ yes _ he certainly does. At that moment Hannibal happens to catch the eye of one of the residents still in the room, a young man with curly brown hair, glasses, and bright blue eyes, _ hmm cute. _ Out of reflex Hannibal smiles a little wider, never one to miss an opportunity to appreciate beauty, and to his surprise the young man blushes, making him even more endearing. _ Interesting _ . Unfortunate that rule about doctors not getting involved with residents, especially considering he’s due for a rut soon. _ What a shame, he looks absolutely delicious _. Hannibal throws in a wink just because he can, delighted at the beautiful blush that crawls up the young man’s neck as he leaves the room.

*

After lunch, Will goes through the motions of the orientation mechanically – they are all walked to Human Resources to get their badges, and then they are taken to a computer lab to practice using the electronic medical record system. Yet through it all Will’s mind keeps being pulled back to Dr. Lecter – he winked at him! What does that even mean? Did he imagine it? And why does he feel his face heating again just thinking about it? Fuck, he’s not a teenager. So what if a good looking intelligent doctor winked at him? He couldn’t mean anything by it, they don’t know each other at all for fuck’s sakes. He tries to push it from his mind, but finds despite his best efforts, his thoughts keep returning to Dr. Lecter; so far he’s fascinated by everything he has discovered about this powerful older doctor. When they are dismissed, he says goodbye to Beverly, Jimmy, and Brian, politely declining their offer to go to a bar nearby.

When Will gets back to his apartment, he calls Margot like he promised, on autopilot as he answers her questions about how his first day was, but his mind is completely somewhere else, constantly returning to the older doctor. After he ends the call, he lies down on his bed and looks him up on his laptop; he types _ Dr. Hannibal Lecter _ into the search box, and is surprised by how many results pop up, _ Holy smokes this guy has published a shitload of research! _ Will ends up reading every single research article, staying up too late in the process but too fascinated to stop, simultaneously wondering if he made the right choice declaring medical instead of surgical. Because of that choice, it pretty much guarantees Will won’t get to work with Dr. Lecter and is surprised at the heavy disappointment that thought brings. When he finally falls asleep at an ungodly hour, it’s in fits and starts; Will is woken periodically in cold sweats like usual from nightmares, with the unshakable and terrifying feeling that he is cripplingly and hopelessly alone.

*

When Will wakes the next morning he feels incredibly tired - admittedly not the best way to start his residency, but it can’t be helped. He makes some coffee, showers, and dresses for the day. Fuck he really did it, today he’s going to be working as a doctor! _ Dr. Will Graham. _ He almost can’t believe it’s finally happening after all his years of hard work. After a quick breakfast he’s out the door, walking the three blocks to Johns Hopkins Hospital in the cold morning air. 

When he arrives he makes his way to the same conference room from yesterday, and just like yesterday, he is the first one in the room. Unlike yesterday, this time there is no coffee and pastries. As he waits, having about twenty minutes to kill, Will reflects on his thoughts from last night. Would he really want to change from medical to surgical, even if he could? He can’t deny he’s fascinated by Dr. Lecter’s research and would love to be a part of it. Yet the idea of being mentored by any other surgeon besides Dr. Lecter makes him recoil, so that makes it clear what he really wants. It probably doesn’t even matter though because, as Beverly told him yesterday, Dr. Lecter has only taken three residents in the past six years! Unlikely odds. _ But not impossible _, his mind supplies. He’s shaken out of his thoughts by other residents starting to arrive. As Beverly walks in, he gives her an approving look, clearly looking from her to the clock and she playfully smacks him.

“Ha ha,_ yes I can be on time _,” she says and Will smiles, pleasantly surprised at the easy friendship he seems to be developing with her. “So are you ready?” she asks, excitement coloring her question. It’s such an ambiguous and all-encompassing question Will doesn’t know what to say, refusing to resort to pointless vagaries when he has proof Beverly has a brain in her head.

“For…?”

“Rounds! I heard Dr. Lecter always leads rounds on the first day, that’s how he screens for residents!”

“Oh,” is about all Will can muster for a response, instantly wondering if he does well in rounds if that could earn him a spot working with Dr. Lecter...even if he’s not in the surgical residency? He almost wants to ask Beverly but refrains, suspecting she wouldn’t be in a position to know such things, and also not really feeling like talking about it at the moment. But he can’t deny this gives him a glimmer of hope - maybe he can stand out and impress Dr. Lecter? The next thing he knows Beverly is smacking him on the arm (harder than before) and he steps back out of her reach when he sees her wind up again.

“WAKE UP! Good lord Graham, what will it take to get more than one syllable out of you?” she asks with a smile, and Will can’t help smiling back - she really is like an annoying sister. He checks to make sure no one is watching before flipping her off, proving he can communicate just fine with _ no _ syllables _ thankyouverymuch _ . This earns him another swat but it has less force behind it this time. “What a brat!” she exclaims and Will smiles, throwing a wink her way just for fun. He doesn’t get to see her response though because at that moment the door opens and they both instantly shift into professional mode. _ Alright, the game is on _...

*

As planned, at eight o’clock Hannibal meets up with Dr. Gideon and together they walk to the conference room to collect the residents. When they arrive, Hannibal can’t help how his eyes automatically notice the pretty young man with the blue eyes from the day before. As he enters, Hannibal finds himself wondering if the young doctor is in the surgical or medical residency - hopefully surgical. And hopefully he’s got brains to go along with the beauty. However Hannibal isn’t holding his breath on that count, he’s disappointed by 99.9% of the people he meets, so the odds are stacked against blue eyes. As if feeling his gaze, said young man looks right at him, causing their eyes to meet just like yesterday. However, unlike yesterday, this time the young man does not look away - he holds his ground, almost defiantly maintaining eye contact, although Hannibal thinks he can see a slight flush creep up his cheeks. _ Well, he’s certainly not a pushover. _ The young resident offers him a small smile, almost a smirk, and Hannibal allows his lips to quirk up in response before his attention is called back by Dr. Gideon.

“Residents, you remember Dr. Hannibal Lecter from yesterday, he is going to lead rounds for today _ and today only _. Later you will get your assignments for your attending physicians and they will instruct you on where to meet from tomorrow on. Any questions?” No one says anything so Dr. Gideon somewhat dismissively says, “Well they’re all yours Dr. Lecter.” Dr. Gideon walks away and all the residents turn to look at Hannibal. 

“Good morning. Follow me please,” Hannibal says as he turns, starting to walk out of the room. 

*

As they all fall into line, Beverly comes up next to Will and elbows him once, eyebrows raised. He glances her way, then takes a moment to look at the other residents around him and sees that most of them look incredibly nervous. Will reflects on Beverly’s unanswered question from earlier, and he supposes he _ does _feel ready - this is what he’s been waiting for. This is his chance to finally practice all that he’s learned, and he can’t deny how excited he is that it’s Dr. Lecter leading rounds. He finds he really wants to do well, and wants Dr. Lecter to be impressed by him.

*

Hannibal leads them to the intensive care unit, typically where the most complex and medically unstable patients are. The perfect place to ask difficult questions with the goal of putting the residents under a little stress. This job is not easy, and stress management is an essential skill for them to master, yet is something Hannibal has no time to teach. He needs to trust his surgical residents to be calm under pressure. Also, since most of the patients here are heavily sedated or unconscious, it makes for less of a chance of the patients interrupting them - a common occurrence when he does rounds in other units. He stops in front of the first bed, his eidetic memory recalling the information on this patient without having to refer to the chart.

Hannibal looks over the group of young residents in front of him, wondering who he should choose first. He knows that whoever he picks first will have extra stress placed on them just by being first, so he usually tries to pick someone who looks like they can handle it, realizing it is incredibly helpful for the other residents see an example of success. From experience he knows that if the first person flounders, everyone else gets more stressed, creating the worst type of domino effect for assessing what they actually know. As he scans the group, the only resident that doesn’t appear outwardly nervous is the pretty boy from yesterday - _ okay, it’s decided. _

“You,” Hannibal says as he points to the blue-eyed young man, “What would you order for this patient? Eighty-three year old woman with dementia, brought in unresponsive and hypotensive from her nursing home, she has a stage four sacral decubitus ulcer and history of mild CHF managed with diuretics.”

*

Will can feel all the residents’ eyes on him, as well as Dr. Lecter’s assessing gaze, but finds that surprisingly he feels calm. He knows this. To be honest he expected something more difficult, but then again it’s only the first day...unless he’s missing something? _ Well, only one way to find out. _Will clears his throat and then says,

“I would order blood cultures and empirically start vancomycin for suspected wound infection and sepsis - vancomycin loading dose plus dose by body weight. I’d hold her diuretics and do gentle rehydration to see if that corrects they hypotension, but I suspect it wouldn’t and that she would probably need pressors - in which case I would order IV Levophed 8mcg/minute and titrate from there. I’d also get wound care and dietitian consults once the patient was stable.”

When Will stops he feels like it’s so quiet a pin could drop, the only sound to be heard is the steady beeping of nearby machines, as they all wait on bated breath. He thinks he got it all. He hopes. A moment later Dr. Lecter smiles and nods his approval. 

“Yes, very good,” Dr. Lecter says, and then turns to walk to the next patient’s bed. _ That was it?!? _ He did it! _ Yes! _

As they walk Beverly elbows Will again, this time mouthing ‘Good job!’ 

When they all stop at the second bed, Dr. Lecter points at another resident, a young man Asian man. “You, what would you order for this patient? Seventy-eight year old male, shortness of breath on admission which rapidly progressed to respiratory failure. History of hypertension and CHF. He has 2+ pitting edema in lower extremities.” Will mentally scoffs, _ this is an easy one. Medicine 101. _ To Will’s surprise the young man doesn’t answer right away, but when he does he says, 

“Um…I would empirically start IV Ceftriaxone 2g daily and Azithromycin 500mg po once, then 250mg po daily after for suspected community-acquired pneumonia...um...and then I’d order sputum culture?” The young doctor doesn’t sound confident in his answer at all, _ he is clearly guessing, _ Will thinks, _ and wrong_. Just like before, the group waits on pins and needles for Dr. Lecter’s response. 

“No, that is not correct. Can anyone tell me why?” To Will the answer obvious, and he is mildly surprised when no one volunteers to answer. After a beat of awkward silence goes by he puts his hand up, and Dr. Lecter’s eyes instantly fly to him. “Yes, what’s your name?” 

“Will Graham.”

“Dr. Graham, why would you not want to start antibiotics as this young man suggested?”

“Because with his symptoms and medical history, the most likely diagnosis is pleural effusion, for which antibiotics won’t help. If he’s in severe respiratory distress I would do a thoracentesis. If it could wait I would order a CT of the chest and start him on either Lasix or Spironolactone depending on his serum potassium and monitor strict I/Os.”

*

Hannibal smiles again, eyes narrowing, impressed. _ That’s two for two, the beauty seems to have a brain. _

*

“Yes very good,” Dr. Lecter says, and with that they all walk to the next patient’s bed. As they walk, Beverly shoots Will an incredulous look, clearly impressed to which Will shrugs but smiles, pleased with himself as well. When they stop, Dr. Lecter scans the group and this time his eyes land on Beverly. “You,” he points to her, “What would you order for this patient? Seventy-five year old male, history of diabetes managed with insulin, hypertension managed with Benazapril, admitting diagnosis status post fall with suspected hip fracture and altered level of consciousness.” Will is mentally rooting for her to get it right, he knows how important it is to her to impress Dr. Lecter. It’s not a super difficult case, but it is slightly more difficult than the last patient, however it is surgical related so that’s in her favor, being a surgical resident.

“Well considering the age, ALOC, and fall, I would order a CT of the head to check for concussion and intracranial bleed, and I would order an x-ray and surgical consult for the suspected hip fracture. In preparation for surgery I would also order NPO and to hold his Benazapril.” Will is nodding as she talks but then cringes when he realizes she’s finished._ Oh no! _ She’s forgotten a small but important detail, a detail that if overlooked could be very serious. A rookie mistake. Will almost can’t watch but forces himself to keep looking forward; he can almost see the wheels turning in Dr. Lecter’s mind and hopes he won’t be too harsh on her, knowing how much Beverly wants to work with him.

“Anything else you would do for this patient in conjunction with those orders?” Dr. Lecter asks, and Will lets out a relieved breath. He’s giving her another chance. Maybe his reputation of being a hard-ass is exaggerated.

Beverly looks frozen, not quite like a deer in headlights, but she looks like she honestly doesn’t see what’s wrong with her answer or what more to add, but that she also doesn’t want to look dumb. “Well…” she starts, clearly sounding unsure but trying to stay calm under the pressure.

“Anyone care to help her out?” Dr. Lecter asks. Another beat of awkward silence goes by before Will puts his hand up, realizing apparently no one else is going to. _ Seriously what the fuck is wrong with this group of residents? Can they really not know this stuff? Or are they just so nervous? _Either way Will isn’t impressed.

“Yes, Dr. Graham,” Dr Lecter says, and Will belatedly realizes he likes the way his name sounds in that voice. 

“I would hold the insulin until the patient is no longer NPO,” Will answers, and Dr. Lecter smiles and nods again. 

“Yes very good. All of you, don’t forget to adjust your insulin doses when your patients are NPO - failure to do so can result in severe hypoglycemia, diabetic coma, and even death.” With that Dr. Lecter turns and walks to the next patient’s bed, and Beverly nudges Will making an exaggerated gesture of wiping the sweat off her brow.

Rounds continues on like this, with Dr. Lecter giving each resident at least two opportunities to answer difficult questions, being put on the spot, feeling the pressure. Will has to admit by the end he is not impressed. Thankfully Beverly answers her second question correctly. Price and Zeller get one a piece but totally miss their second one. Each time a resident misses the question, the entire group is asked, and apart from three times where someone else bravely raises their hand, Will answers all of them correctly. Only once did Will leave out an important detail, and when Dr. Lecter prompted him, he corrected himself. Will makes a mental note of who in this group of residents he would not want treating himself or a family member - _ Jesus Christ, how did these people graduate from medical school? _ One resident looks like she might cry after her second failed attempt but is bravely trying to hold it in.

By the time they have discussed all thirty patient cases, Will is feeling pretty good - maybe he was_ a little _ worried about how he would do. Afterwards, they are told to wait for their name to be called to come up and get their assignments along with who their attending physician will be. Dr. Lecter calls out the names alphabetically, and when Beverly Katz gets called, Will realizes his name was skipped over. Beverly pats him on the shoulder as she leaves, apparently not realizing Will was skipped, and Will nods to her, wondering why he didn’t get called. Once all the other residents have been called, finally Dr. Lecter says, “Dr. Graham.” 

Will walks towards him, intending to take the manila folder out of his hand as all the other residents did, but Dr. Lecter holds it back from him and Will looks up slightly to meet his warm brown eyes. As he gets within a few feet of him, Will smells a warm spicy scent...medicinal...yet also something that reminds him of Christmas? _ Cloves _ , his mind supplies, and Will subsequently realizes the appealing scent is coming from Dr. Lecter! _ Oh shit he is an Alpha! _ Will can’t help that with this confirmation, the older doctor in front of him becomes even more attractive to him. Will has come to realize that even though his limited dating experience has all been with Betas and Omegas, he is very attracted to Alphas. The problem is that most Alphas are not interested in other Alphas. Will suspects it’s a pride thing; Alphas tend to have strong personalities and a desire to protect, to dominate - traits that don’t always bode well when you put two similar people together. For it to work someone has to give a little, overcome their instincts - ideally both parties. However Will has observed that most of the people in the world are not what he would call intelligent, and therefore would rather embrace their instincts instead of their brains. _ Peons _. Yet Will can’t deny that as much as he likes protecting and likes being dominant, he also yearns for someone he doesn’t have to protect, someone who can hold their own, someone who can take whatever Will can dish out, someone who Will doesn’t have to worry about breaking or holding back for. Will knows he’s a little prickly by nature; he assumes that’s why he and Margot get along well, she has more attitude than the average Omega. 

*

As Hannibal is passing out the assignments, he stalls when he gets to Will Graham’s file. _ Medical?!? He’s in the medical residency?!? _ Hannibal can’t deny the disappointment he feels seeing those seven letters next to Will Graham’s name_. _ He has to admit he’s impressed. The pretty boy is clearly the only one out of the group worthy of working with Hannibal, and he’s not even in the surgical residency! Hmm..maybe he can change that. It’s not unheard of is it? For residents to change their specialty? Hannibal knows the right thing to do is to take time to think on this decision; he _ should _ just give Dr. Graham his assignment for the day and then talk to him later...but somehow Hannibal can’t bring himself to do that. It makes no sense - he has surgical residents all but throwing themselves at him, and instead he’s going to try to convert a _ medical _resident to work under him? It’s almost enough to give him pause, but for once Hannibal decides to follow his instinct.

As the young doctor approaches him, Hannibal catches a whiff of something exceedingly pleasant and floral...his eidetic mind instantly identifying the soft delicate scent as lily of the valley, and is subsequently surprised (a feeling he doesn’t experience often) when he realizes the appealing scent is coming from the young man in front of him! His surprise is magnified when he realizes that this young doctor is an Alpha! His beauty and delicate scent made Hannibal initially think he was an Omega; however it seems this young man is chock full of surprises - and pleasant ones at that! In general Hannibal has noticed that Alphas tend to be the most direct communicators, the most unafraid to speak their mind, so he finds on average he likes Alphas more than Betas or Omegas, if only for that reason. 

Before Hannibal closes the file, decision made to offer him a surgical residency under his tutelage, he sees that Dr. Graham was originally assigned to Dr. Dimmond of all people. Before he can stop it, Hannibal’s intelligent mind envisions Dr. Dimmond, Omega and notorious flirt, mentoring Dr. Graham, Alpha, and he frowns, disliking that mental image more than he would care to admit. Instead he turns, deciding this conversation would be better to have in his office anyway.

*

“Dr. Graham, walk with me please,” Dr. Lecter says as he starts walking out of ICU without a backwards glance, clearly hanging onto Will’s assignment file. For a moment Will is worried that he’s in trouble, but he follows the gorgeous older doctor, trying to remain calm, reassuring himself that he’s about the only resident who _ didn’t _do anything wrong yet. Will had explored some of Johns Hopkins Hospital when he volunteered during undergrad, but he doesn’t recognize where Dr. Lecter is leading him. Eventually they stop at an office and Dr. Lecter looks at him appraisingly as he holds the door open. Will enters the office but remains standing rather than presuming to sit down in the chair; he has his professionalism turned up to eleven right now, trying to suppress his naturally rude tendencies. The older doctor closes the door and gestures for Will to sit with a slight quirk of his lips. Dr. Lecter sits behind a large desk and Will instantly realizes he is in Dr. Lecter’s office as he sits down too. 

“So Dr. Graham, it says here you are a medical resident,” Dr. Lecter says as he holds up Will’s file.

“Yes, that’s correct,” Will replies. He can feel Dr. Lecter’s gaze on him like a physical weight, like he’s being scrutinized. He absently realizes the older doctor’s scent is stronger in here, which makes sense as the door is shut and it is _ his _ office.

“Have you given any thought to a surgical residency?” Dr. Lecter asks, tone carefully even. Hope flutters in Will’s chest, suddenly having an idea where this meeting might be going.

“I’ll be honest with you Dr. Lecter, until last night, no I hadn’t,” Will says, then swallows, mouth suddenly feeling dry. He has the absurd feeling like he’s been sliced open, being seen from the inside out by Dr. Lecter’s piercing gaze, yet he finds he’s not bothered by it.

“And what did you conclude after your thoughts last night?” Dr. Lecter probes. Will pauses, collecting his thoughts. How much should he say? That he wants a surgical residency but only if its with Dr. Lecter? No, that sounds too much like he’s making demands when he is in no place to be bargaining. _ Come on Will, use your brain _...he tries to remain professional while keeping his words as true as possible.

“I am interested in a surgical residency, moreso after your presentation yesterday which was quite inspirational. I read your research - it’s fascinating. I was particularly intrigued by the discussion on the effect of anticoagulation therapy options on complication rates after catheter ablation - it was surprising to me that there was no measurable effect found with interrupted versus uninterrupted anticoagulation; uninterrupted seems the superior choice,” Will says, hoping that conveys the message that he is open to a surgical residency, but with a specific emphasis on Dr. Lecter being his attending physician. He also hopes it proves that he not only read his research, but that he has some critical thinking skills too. Another tip for success he has learned, _ never waste an opportunity you are given, you are often your only advocate _.

*

Hannibal is more and more surprised as he listens to this young man sitting across from him. For one, most residents look terrified (or at least somewhat uncomfortable) sitting in his office, yet this young doctor looks relatively at ease - professional, unafraid and comfortable in his own skin - not intimidated by Hannibal in the slightest, or if he is he isn’t showing it. Hannibal is surprised how appealing it is talking to this young man, realizing that he can’t recall the last time he talked to someone who wasn’t either intimidated by him or trying to pander to him, dripping with fakeness and pushing their agenda. He knows that comes with the territory having the position of power that he does, but he honestly can’t recall the last time he talked to someone like this and he finds it incredibly refreshing. The situation is all the more unique since this young doctor really should fall into both categories. He clearly has less knowledge and experience since he’s fresh out of medical school, so it would be logical for him to be intimidated. And he also appears to want to change to surgical residency with Hannibal himself...so logically he should be doing everything in his power to make that goal happen...yet Hannibal doesn’t detect any fakeness coming from him, and he’s usually a very good read of people - more than once psychiatry has attempted to recruit him due to his natural aptitude.

And it could be a coincidence, but Hannibal genuinely grins as Dr. Graham either intentionally or unintentionally hits on the one area of his study that was not to his satisfaction - anticoagulation therapy. Hannibal literally just filed for IRB approval last week to continue the study, focusing on that one aspect. It’s very unlikely that this young doctor could have found out about that, as only a handful of people know.

“Then you’ll be pleased to know I’m actually in the process of getting approval for a continuation of that study to factor in anticoagulation therapy type with the hypothesis that uninterrupted coagulation therapy has superior outcomes,” Hannibal says, surprised at himself. He’s not here to try to sell the young doctor on working with him, yet isn’t he essentially indirectly offering for Dr. Graham to work with him on this? Although he can’t deny that he can’t recall a resident he has actually wanted more than this one. There is something unique about him. 

“Oh that’s amazing!” the young doctor replies, blue eyes lighting up. _ Well, he certainly seems interested. _ So he’s intelligent, interested, and stays calm under pressure. One more key requirement to be a surgeon. 

“How are your fine motor skills? How are you with your hands?” Hannibal asks, straight to the point. He can make pleasant small talk when he needs to but the man in front of him strikes him as the more direct type, something he appreciates. The young doctor looks slightly surprised at the question, reflexively looking down at his hands.

*

The question throws Will a little if he’s honest with himself, not so much the content of the question, but having an attractive good smelling intelligent Alpha male look at him with a nearly salacious grin, speaking in that velvety voice, and asking him if he’s “good with his hands” - he can’t help his mind goes to the gutter, but he tries to snatch it back out as quickly as possible, giving himself a mental cold shower because he needs to be professional. He rallies and answers as honestly and succinctly as he can, trying to keep the blush at bay.

*

“I would say above average but that’s hard to quantify. A hobby of mine is making fishing lures which requires a lot of fine motor skills,” the young doctor says, and Hannibal smiles, thinking_ it’s always a surprise when this boy opens his mouth, but again, it’s a pleasant surprise. _As fine a baseline as any, he’s taken residents with far less. Decision made, Hannibal says,

“Dr. Graham, I’d like to offer you the opportunity to complete a surgical residency with me as your attending physician. You may or may not know, but I don’t often take residents, so I hope you recognize the uniqueness of this opportunity before you make your decision.”

*

Despite the fact that Will both wondered and hoped that this was the direction the conversation was headed, he still finds himself surprised. It’s not often he looks up to someone, and despite having only met this man yesterday, he definitely looks up to him, respects him, wants to learn from him.

“I do understand and appreciate this opportunity, Dr. Lecter,” Will says, but then pauses, taking a breath and letting it out through his nose before he says, almost surprised, “Yes, I would love that.” The words are out of Will’s mouth before he fully decides to say them and he cringes a little. _ Really Graham? Love? _Oh well, he can’t take it back now, but he tries to do damage control by adding on, “Thank you very much. I look forward to working with you.” He sees Dr. Lecter smile at him and he smiles back, feeling excited.

*

Once again Hannibal finds himself feeling surprise after surprise. First, he is surprised at the word choice - _ love _ ? _ Lord the boy is cute, maybe this was a bad idea _ . He doesn’t seem to be doing it on purpose, but if it were anyone else Hannibal would swear he was flirting with him; however, it appears to be unintentional which surprisingly only makes it more endearing. Secondly, and possibly more importantly, he said he looks forward to working _ with _ him - not _ for _ him or _ under _ him - _ with _ \- implying equal status, again seemingly unintentional but Hannibal can’t deny the pleasure it brings him. He’s known for awhile that he craved a peer, an equal, but he didn’t anticipate the magnitude of pleasure it would bring him for that craving to be realized. On the heels of that realization however, he realizes that if he’s honest with himself, it also scares him a little, having the wellbeing of his emotions in the hands of this young Alpha he just met. _ Reign it in Hannibal._..aiming to close this meeting, he extends his hand over the desk, seeing the young doctor automatically take it in his own as they shake on their agreement. The young doctor’s fingers are warm and his grip is firm - an Alpha handshake - not threatening but clearly present, not a pushover.

*

The handshake barely lasts five seconds, if that, but Will feels his palm tingle where they touched after he pulls it back, skin remembering the contact with Dr. Lecter’s warm dry fingers pleasantly. 

“You’re welcome, as do I,” Dr. Lecter replies. Will watches as he picks up his file and writes something in it, then hands it to him. “Take this first to Dr. Gideon, then to Human Resources. Unfortunately by the time everything's changed over the day will probably be done so just plan to meet me here tomorrow morning at eight o’clock.”

“Okay,” Will says, accepting the file and standing to leave, but before he does, he says, “Thank you again, Dr. Lecter, for this opportunity.” Their eyes meet and Will sees the older doctor smile at him. 

“You are very welcome Dr. Graham, I am confident you will make the most of it. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Will nods and exits the office, heart beating just a little faster than it normal. Did he really just change to surgical residency? After just one day of thinking about it? All his plans changed just because of this older man? Apparently so. He has to admit he’s not sure how things could have gone better, to be honest this is exactly what he was hoping for. He really doesn’t know what to expect, but for once it feels like he will finally be challenged. Medical school was not easy, but unlike his classmates Will never felt anything asked of him was impossible - he never truly felt afraid of failing. This? Surgery? He has _ no idea _ how this will turn out, however instead of feeling afraid, he feels excited; in fact, feels more alive than he can remember ever feeling, like a fire has been lit inside of him, a passion awakened, a zest for life. 

With a spring in his step, he carries the file down to Dr. Gideon as instructed. As Dr. Gideon reads it, Will sees his eyebrows raise, before his gaze meets his own.

“Sit,” Dr. Gideon says, gesturing to the chair across from his desk. Will frowns briefly but sits as requested. To be honest he thought this would be a brief meeting, just an official FYI, because Dr. Lecter is technically Dr. Gideon’s boss, right? Will’s heart sinks for a moment - what if he can’t change? The disappointment he feels at the thought is stronger than he expected, realizing how much he already was looking forward to working with Dr. Lecter. Will tries to calm himself, the logical part of him very rationally pointing out that _ nothing has happened yet _. Once seated, Dr. Gideon dramatically tosses his open file onto the desk. Will can’t help but try to read what Dr. Lecter wrote on it, realizing it’s impossible at this angle as Dr. Gideon starts talking. “Dr. Graham…Will...seriously?” he asks, tone is a combination of surprised and irritated.

“Yes, I want to change to surgical,” Will says, deciding to keep it simple, sticking to the facts. 

“Really? And _ you _ decided this _ when _?” Dr. Gideon says, clearly skeptical. Will can’t help but feel a little embarrassed at his abrupt change of heart, feeling color rise to his cheeks but he soldiers on, ever the professional. 

“I was inspired by Dr. Lecter’s presentation yesterday...when I went home I seriously considered changing to surgical but I didn’t know if it was possible. Then today Dr. Lecter offered me a surgical residency under him, so I accepted. Is that a problem?” As he talks, Will notes Dr. Gideon at first looks like he’s on the edge of rolling his eyes, but then his expression transitions to surprise, near shock. When Dr. Gideon speaks, he bypasses Will’s question, instead saying,

“Dr. Lecter_ offered _you this position? You didn’t ask him for it?” To Will his tone almost sounds accusatory and he tries not to be offended.

“No I didn’t ask him, but to be honest I was thinking about it. Why?” Will says. 

Again Dr. Gideon bypasses his question, saying “Are you sure about this Dr. Graham? It is possible, yes. But I want you to make sure this is what _ you _ want. It’s a terrible thing to have your identity taken from you. If you accept, you will no longer be a _ medical resident _. I know how most medical residents view surgeons. That doesn’t seem to bother you.”

“No it doesn’t. I admit I wouldn’t be considering it if it wasn’t for Dr. Lecter. He’s the first surgeon I’ve encountered who's also worked the medical side,” Will says. 

At this Dr. Gideon sighs, resigned, saying “Okay Dr. Graham. He picks up his pen and writes something in the file, then hands it to Will. “Take this to HR, they’ll take care of the rest. Oh and,” here he holds out his hand across the desk. Will takes it and shakes, as Dr. Gideon says, “Welcome to surgical.” Dr. Gideon winks at him and Will nods as he stands and leaves the office, wondering what it is with surgeons and winking.

As he leaves Dr. Gideon’s office, Will stops after he turns the corner, curious to read what the surgeons are writing in his file. In elegant script, written across the bottom of his demographics page, are the words, 

_ Abel - I’ll take him. HL_

Then below that, in barely legible small handwriting (more stereotypical of a doctor) is written,

_ Nancy, please change Dr. Graham to surgical residency under Dr. Lecter, effective immediately. - Abel _

Will smiles, unable to resist running his fingers over the words Dr. Lecter wrote - _ I’ll take him _. Will shivers, somehow feeling touched, validated, wanted. Seeing the words written in Dr. Lecter’s own handwriting makes it feel more real somehow. He is brought out of stupidly smiling at the folder when a nurse walks by him, giving him a once over; it looks like for a moment she was going to ask him if he’s okay but thinks better of it when she sees his residency badge, continuing on her way. Will closes the file and is about to continue his walk down to HR when he realizes it’s lunch hour and HR will probably be closed, so instead he heads to the cafeteria. 

When he arrives he heads to the doctor’s dining room, as instructed in yesterday's orientation, happily bypassing the long line of people waiting to get food. The happiness continues as he sees a self-serve buffet counter with a variety of food along the side of the room, seeing doctors making themselves plates. _ Free food, no lines - fuck yeah! Finally this medical degree is paying off! _He makes himself a plate and is about to sit down at an empty table when he hears, “Hey Graham! Over here!” He turns and sees Beverly and Jimmy gesturing him over to a nearby table, along with Brian who looks like he doesn’t care one way or the other if Will joins them or not. He makes his way over and sits down with them, carefully setting the file aside which of course draws Beverly’s eye.

“Oooo so who’d you get?” she asks, clearly curious. Will smiles, realizing he already forgot how much he likes Beverly’s energy and disregard for social niceties, but all the same he can’t resist teasing her.

“Why I’m fine, thanks for asking, how are you?” he says sarcastically. Beverly smiles but rolls her eyes. 

“Ha ha, like I even need to ask, you’re practically glowing with happiness so you must have gotten what you wanted. So spill.” He’s glowing with happiness? Will tries to school his features into something less glow-y, not sure he wants to be walking around being compared to the sun. As he formulates a response, he realizes his good news is likely going to hurt Beverly’s feelings and that helps him further remove the alleged glow he has. He pauses a moment before he speaks, then says,

“I...uh...I actually changed to the surgical residency…” As Will says this he notices Brian, who had not been paying attention to them, stops eating and looks up at him.

“You did what?!?” Jimmy asks, sounding shocked, followed by a playful, “Traitor!” Will laughs a little but before he can respond Beverly speaks.

“Are you serious? You’re in the surgical residency with me now?!? I made that much of an impression on you since yesterday?” she teases and Will feels bad, but as a doctor he’s trained to deliver bad news so he soldiers on, cutting to the meat of the issue.

“I got accepted to do my residency with Dr. Lecter.” As the words leave Will’s mouth the table goes silent and all eyes are on him - even Brian looks surprised.

“You...you got...? But how?” Beverly asks, sounding shaken and Will really wants to get this over with. 

“Um, after rounds he took me to his office and asked me a bunch of stuff, it almost felt like an interview. And then he offered for me to work under him…and I accepted,” Will says, feeling like that covers the gist of it.

“Just like that? You didn’t ask him for it?” Beverly asks.

“Why does everyone keep asking me that? Is it so hard to believe?” Will snaps, and then immediately feels bad when he sees Beverly recoil. “I’m sorry, I’m still in shock...it was unexpected.” And as Will says the words he realizes how true they are - he really hasn’t really had time to process all of this yet, still not quite believing it’s actually happening. Beverly is intensely staring him down, assessing, and then just as Will starts to worry, she smiles.

“Oh my gosh, Will, congratulations!! I’m so excited for you! And jealous! Fuck - put in a good word for me, will you?” she says with a smile and Will can see things will be okay, smiling back and finally taking a bite of his salmon in lemon cream sauce - _ mmm that’s good _ \- before he responds.

“Oh yeah, sure,” he says around a mouth full of rice and Beverly claps him on the arm slightly too hard.

“Thanks Will, you’re a good friend!” she replies.

“So now you’re going to be a scalpel jockey? A meat carver? Gonna let your brain rot away as you voluntarily go to the dark side?” Jimmy says jokingly, but it still earns him a kick from Beverly under the table and Will makes a mental note not to get on her bad side, seeing Jimmy wince. “Hey! Hey...kidding!” he says as he holds his hands up placatingly. 

“Hey, so what’s he like?” Beverly turns to him and asks, tone and energy incredibly curious. Even Brian and Jimmy look rapt, both having stopped eating to hear whatever he has to say. Will takes a sip of his iced tea to buy him some time.

“Umm…I don’t really know, we only talked for a few minutes. He was nice, professional, a little intense…” Will stops talking, having run out of descriptors. This is met with three disapproving looks that clearly imply he is not providing nearly enough information, so he continues, “...umm...his office is nice,” and then he remembers, “Oh and he’s an Alpha.” 

“He is?!?” the whole table seems to say at once.

“Um yeah,” Will says, already regretting this conversation and it hasn’t even started yet.

“How do you know?” Brian asks - it’s the first words he’s spoken since Will arrived. Now Will is a little embarrassed, realizing belatedly he’s sitting at a table with three Betas who probably can’t easily identify Alphas or Omegas by scent like he can. It makes sense in retrospect, healthcare is filled with Betas; they are more reliable workers in that they don’t have to take time off for heats or ruts, and also can treat any patient in any state, since they’re not affected by pheromones. 

“Umm...well, I’m an Alpha. I could smell him,” Will says and now the whole table is gaping at him. Will sincerely wishes he could rewind this conversation. 

“You’re an Alpha?” Beverly says, and Will tries hard not to be offended at her surprised tone, only marginally successful.

“You don’t have to sound so surprised,” Will says moodily as he starts eating again, more than ready to be done with this conversation.

“No, I’m sorry, I just assumed you were a Beta, that’s all,” Beverly says, and Will can tell she didn’t mean to offend him. It’s not the first time. He’s more of a mental Alpha than a physical one; he’s not quite as large-statured as other Alphas, and Will’s noticed the glasses tend to make people perceive him as weaker. Plus his youth doesn’t help.

“You’re not the first, don't worry,” Will says with a sigh. Hoping to steer the conversation away from him, he asks, “So who did you guys get?” It works as they all start telling him about their attendings, and for the duration of lunch he listens as Beverly, Jimmy, and Brian share how their morning was, what their attendings are like, and patient cases, as Will finally gets to eat his (now slightly colder) lunch. 

When lunch ends, Will stays back for a minute after Beverly, Brian, and Jimmy leave the table. Once they are gone, he opens his folder again and looks at the words Dr. Lecter wrote_ \- I’ll take him. _The words make him smile, make him feel as if he’s something of value. Realizing he probably looks like an idiot smiling at a file folder, he closes it, stands, and makes his way down to HR. 

As Dr. Lecter predicted, HR does in fact take the entire rest of the day to get him sorted. Nancy takes the folder from him, and after reading it does a double take, leveling an impressed look at him, before asking him for his badge. He relinquishes it to her wrinkled hands, and then proceeds to wait a _ very long time _for her to come back. Fuck, he should have brought a book. Instead he has his thoughts for company as he reflects on his decision. The whole thing still seems surreal, but the more he thinks about it, the more excited he is, honestly looking forward to the unknown that tomorrow will undoubtedly bring.

When Nancy_ finally _ comes back, she gives him his badge which now reads, Will Graham, MD - Surgical Resident. She then explains how he now will have access to all the operating rooms, as well as the surgical observation rooms and the surgery scheduling program. He accepts it and the information with a nod, but before Nancy lets go of the badge, she looks him straight in the eye with a smile and says,

“I’m sure we can expect great things from you, Dr. Graham.”

“Um, thank you,” Will says, not expecting that. _ What the fuck? _

When Will finally leaves HR, it’s just past four, so he starts his walk back to his apartment, feeling surreal. Once there, the first thing he does is take a shower; another habit he has developed any time he works in a hospital - he knows all too well the kind of germs that lurk there. He pulls on a pair of pajama pants and briefly rubs a towel over his curls, before slinging it over his shoulder. He then grabs his phone, flops onto his bed and calls Margot, figuring it’s after five, she should be out by now. As he relays his day to her, he can hear how surprised she sounds. 

“Wow, that’s amazing Will...really it is...but I thought you didn’t like surgical?” Margot says. Will ponders this a moment. It’s true...or it _ was _ true; he has voiced his general dislike of surgical to Margot many times in the past, but so much has changed in the past twenty-four hours.

“Well...things change,” Will says honestly, the words coming out heavier with meaning than he intended as an awkward silence ensues, both probably realizing this is the beginning of the end of their relationship, but both unwilling to be the first to bridge the topic. “So, how was your day?” Will asks somewhat lamely, changing the subject and feeling like a coward. He listens as Margot tells him about her day, but he can’t deny how his mind constantly returns to Dr. Lecter, wondering what tomorrow will bring. 

Once he and Margot have exhausted their exchange of information, he awkwardly says good night even though it’s only six o’clock, knowing he’s not going to call her back before bed, and sets about making dinner - boxed macaroni and cheese with canned tuna and frozen broccoli. It’s not fancy but it’s moderately healthy, easy to make, and relatively inexpensive, which suits his needs, he still has ample student loans to pay off despite all the scholarships and grants he got. _ Fuck the United States’ high collage tuition _, he thinks darkly.

As he eats at his desk, he reflects on the events of the day, doubt starting to creep in now that the shock and novelty have worn off. Did he make a mistake? His gut tells him no, that it’s not a mistake, it feels right. He was never one to trust his instincts, for the most part thinking that they are baloney, but maybe it’s time he started listening to them. 

*

As Hannibal is sipping his after-dinner glass of wine alone in his study, he can’t help but reflect on the day’s events, realizing that tomorrow everything will change. He hopes he wasn’t too impulsive, accepting Dr. Graham - he’s never once accepted a _ medical _ resident! Let alone accepted a doctor that didn’t even technically apply! But even with those small doubts floating around in his head, he can’t regret his decision. There’s something unique about that young man, something that Hannibal can’t wait to see more of. So far Dr. Graham hasn’t disappointed him, and in fact, has consistently surprised him - neither one an easy feat, but both on the first day of meeting? Yes definitely a unique person. Hannibal can’t wait to talk to him in depth, to see just how intelligent he is, what his therapy rationales are, his treatment style...and Hannibal is surprised to find he’s also curious about this young Alpha’s personal life. What are his goals? His desires? He doesn’t appear to be married as he wore no ring. But does he have a significant other? Does that person appreciate what a unique man they have? It is with these musings that Hannibal leaves his study to get ready for bed, incredibly curious what tomorrow will bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What did you think? I'd love to hear your feedback in comment!! ♥ or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
>   

> 
> Chapter notes:   
  
\- I know I wrote Johns Hopkins Hospital is #2 research hospital in the country - I read that somewhere but now that I’m looking for the reference I can't find it so that may or may not be true LOL *shrugs*  
  
\- [Inspiration](https://academic.oup.com/europace/article/19/2/241/2952386) for Hannibal’s research article  
  
  
Cheat sheet to the medical terminology:  
  
\- **2+ pitting edema** \- swelling so bad that if you touch the area your finger leaves a temporary dent, you can google "pitting edema" for pictures it's a trip  
\- **ALOC** \- altered level of consciousness - person not acting normally  
\- **Azithromycin** \- that guy from good omens...jk hahaha sorry i couldn't help myself, it's an antibiotic medication 😂🤣  
\- **Benazapril** \- medication for high blood pressure  
\- **Blood cultures** \- test to see if bacteria is in the blood and if so what type  
\- **Ceftriaxone** \- antibiotic medication  
\- **CHF** \- congestive heart failure  
\- **CT** \- computerized tomography - a scan done to see inside the body (similar to an x-ray but for soft tissue rather than bones)  
\- **Diuretics** \- medicine that removes water from the body by making you pee more  
\- **Hypertension** \- high blood pressure  
\- **Hypotensive** \- low blood pressure  
\- **ICU** \- intensive care unit  
\- **I/Os** \- intakes/outputs - nurse keeps track of how much fluid is going into and out of someone  
\- **IRB** \- Institutional Review Board - group that approves research to be done, make sure it’s ethical  
\- **Insulin** \- injectible hormone medicine used by some people with diabetes to lower blood sugar  
\- **Intracranial bleed** \- bleeding in the brain  
\- **Lasix** \- medicine that makes you pee more (diuretic) and removes potassium from your body  
\- **Levophed** \- an emergency medicine that raises low blood pressure  
\- **NPO** \- “nothing by mouth” - patient can’t eat or drink anything, often in preparation for surgery  
\- **Pleural effusion** \- fluid buildup around the lungs  
\- **PO** \- by mouth  
\- **Pressors** \- emergency medicine that raises low blood pressure  
\- **Sacral decubitus ulcer** \- deep pressure wound on the lower back/butt  
\- **Sepsis** \- blood infection  
\- **Spironolatone** \- medicine that makes you pee more (diuretic) that does not remove potassium from your body  
\- **Sputum culture** \- test to see what type of bacteria is in mucus/phlegm  
\- **Status post** \- medical way of saying “this happened to the patient”  
\- **Thoracentesis** \- surgical procedure using a long needle to drain fluid out of the abdomen  
\- **Vancomycin** \- antibiotic medication  



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> sloooooow burn and some angst

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is some medical terminology in this chapter but you absolutely DO NOT NEED TO KNOW IT to understand the story - just know Will and Hannibal are smart 😉 But if you do happen to want to know what they're talking about, there's notes at the end.

The following day Hannibal arrives at the hospital early, wanting to have a few extra minutes to himself to plan the day, knowing it’s been over a year since he has had a resident. It is a slight change of mindset - having a resident - but easy enough for him to reacclimate to. He mentally plans his day, budgeting in the extra time usually required for discussions, and mentally prepares himself for having to explain much of what he is doing and why, as well as which tasks he can delegate to Dr. Graham to test his aptitude. He grins almost devilishly, realizing he simultaneously wants to challenge his young resident and to find his limit. It’s not that he wants him to fail - far from it - but he is incredibly curious how much the bright young boy already knows - where is his baseline? Miles above the other residents surely...but how far below Hannibal’s himself? And how long will it take to get him to Hannibal’s level? Oh this will be fun...or at least he hopes. The most disappointing thing would be for Dr. Graham to turn out to be like everyone else, and then Hannibal would be saddled with a dull resident for a year. He concedes that it’s not likely the case based on what he’s seen so far, however in both his work _ and _ his personal life Hannibal tries to prepare for _ every _ eventuality...and as much as he is loathe to admit it, there _ is _ a possibility that in his haste he could have misjudged the beautiful young boy - Hannibal may be one of the top surgeons in the country, but he is only human after all, and while it doesn’t happen often, he _ can _ make mistakes.

As he is making his schedule for the day, the phone rings - it’s Patty, the surgical scheduler, informing him that _ apparently _ Dr. Dimmond called off today due to his heat arriving two days early and that they need someone to take over his stat angioplasty with stent placement. “Can you _ please _ do it Dr. Lecter? I know it’s below you but we don’t have anyone else...or can your new resident do it?” Hannibal was frowning at the phone, irritated that once again he has to absorb Anthony’s work - really as a medical professional, it's not that hard to time your biological cycles, especially with the advances made in suppressants these days. However, at the mention of his _ new resident _ Hannibal’s frown disappears, being replaced with a slow smile. Maybe this is the perfect opportunity to put his resident to the test...

“Yes Patty, I will do it, what time is the procedure?” Hannibal answers graciously. He can hear Patty sigh in relief over the phone before she gives him the details, thanking him profusely, and as he jots down the relevant information, a plan starts forming in his mind. 

*

At seven twenty Will walks in to the hospital, having arrived slightly earlier than he anticipated...he supposes he was walking a little bit quicker than usual in his eagerness to arrive today - _ apparently ten minutes quicker! _ Realizing he has forty minutes to kill, which is far too early to arrive when Dr. Lecter told him eight o’clock, he heads to the doctor’s dining room to get some complimentary coffee; he realizes belatedly he really should just plan to eat breakfast at the hospital every day instead of his bland bowl of oatmeal at home. It’s better food _ and _ would save him money - for being as smart as he is, he’s surprised he didn’t think of it sooner. Oh well, he’s only human, and if he is honest with himself he _ is _ a tad distracted; he is incredibly curious what it will be like to work with Dr. Lecter. Truthfully since two days ago - _ has it really only been two days?!? _ \- Dr. Lecter has never been far from Will’s mind. Will can’t put his finger on what it is about the older Alpha doctor, but he finds him incredibly fascinating - he finds he wants to know more about him, learn from him, be near him - hungry for every bit of information and insight he can get. 

After Will finishes his coffee as well as a small bowl of fruit, he makes his way up to Dr. Lecter’s office, trying to mentally prepare himself for anything. Despite not sleeping very well (like usual), he’s riding high on anticipation, feeling alert and ready. When he arrives at the office at seven fifty-five, the door is already open and he sees Dr. Lecter at his desk looking at something on his computer. Will is about to announce himself when Dr. Lecter turns to him, causing their eyes to meet.

“Good morning Dr. Graham,” Dr. Lecter says, his eyes darting away for the barest of moments before returning, a slight smile on his handsome face and Will suppresses a shiver hearing his name in that voice, having already forgot how much he likes it. “You’re early, please have a seat.” Will sits down in the chair across from the older Alpha, feeling for his pen and notebook to make sure he’s ready should he need to write anything down. Another tip for success, realize you will never know everything, so know where to get information and _ always _ be ready to take notes. As he waits, Will smells the already familiar warm clove smell he has come to associate with the older doctor, taking a slightly deeper breath on the next inhale.

*

Hannibal finishes checking his email as his resident waits in the visitor chair. The boy is doing well so far - he’s appropriately early, looks professional...looks _ good _. Hannibal is surprised at the attention the young doctor’s physical appearance draws from him; normally he’s not distracted by anyone’s physical appearance, more focused on the mind inside of one’s body, but he can’t deny the soft bouncy curls which appear slightly damp - likely from a morning shower - and the intelligent awareness shining through his bright blue eyes behind the cheap glasses he wears cause Hannibal’s gaze to linger a fraction longer than it normally would. Not to mention the incredible, almost innocent floral smell the boy has - Hannibal had almost forgotten about it until the young Alpha sat down - his delicate scent is almost in stark contrast to the firm expression on the young Alpha’s handsome face. 

Hannibal clicks send on his email, and then turns his body and attention to his resident who looks up attentively. “Well, I had planned for you to shadow me today to get oriented to the department, however it appears we have a change in plans, you are going to be diving in with me, so to speak.” Hannibal watches the young doctor’s face carefully, trying to gauge his reaction and is pleased to see no fear or hesitation. “We are taking over Dr. Dimmond’s routine angioplasty with stent placement at nine o’clock.” Hannibal can’t help a slight irritation coloring his tone at the mention of Dr. Dimmond but then continues, “What experience do you have with angioplasty?”

*

Will sits up a little straighter in the chair and swallows before he speaks, mind instantly trying to recall all he knows. “Well I observed an angioplasty procedure in year four of med school but they didn’t let me do anything, observation only.” Will says, unsure what more to add so he waits.

“Unfortunate, but that’s common practice I’m told, I’ve yet to encounter a resident with any hands on experience. Our patient is a forty-two year old male who was admitted to rule out MI. Angiogram showed the left anterior descending artery was 90% occluded. I’ll be performing the angioplasty and stent placement, you will assist me in place of the surgical nurse.” Hannibal pauses, again scanning his resident’s face for any signs of apprehension; finding none, he smiles and continues, “As you may or may not know, each surgeon is different as to what they allow and don’t allow during procedures. For example, some surgeons request total silence due during surgery due to the intense amount of concentration required. Personally I encourage discussion and questions at any time since that is how you will learn. However, I will let you know if I require silence.” As the older doctor is speaking, Will is nodding, taking it all in. Holy hell he really is diving in head first! Assisting one of the best surgeons in the country...fuck, he’s nervous but also excited. Dr. Lecter pauses, then adds, “What questions do you have?” 

“Can I review the chart before the procedure?” Will asks.

“Yes, it will be with the patient in the cath lab. What other questions do you have?” Will thinks for a moment. He suspects all his questions will be answered by the chart and doesn’t want to waste Dr. Lecter’s time by asking pointless things. Another thing he’s learned - never ask things that you can look up yourself - when you do, it makes you look lazy.

“I don’t have any more questions right now,” Will says, feeling more confident than he expected now that the initial shock is wearing off.

*

Hannibal smiles, feeling hope springing in his chest as his resident is living up to his expectations so far. He looks calm and confident, communicating clearly - a prime example of an Alpha. “Alright, let’s go.” Hannibal stands, seeing his resident stand as well, and together they walk to the cardiac cath lab. As they walk their shoulders brush occasionally, and Hannibal enjoys the pleasant scent of lily of the valley, fainter now that they are out in the open hallway.

*

As they walk, Will can feel many sets of eyes on him, most not even trying to hide that they are staring. It’s both surprising and mildly irritating, but he does his best to tune it out, having more important things to focus on. However, he does allow himself a brief moment to wonder what they look like - him - a nobody really, just like any other resident, next to Dr. Lecter - nearly a celebrity in the surgical world. Will supposes he would be curious about him too if he were looking in from the outside, but it doesn’t make the overt gawking any more pleasant. All the same Will does find himself walking tall, proud to be walking with this attractive intelligent doctor, proud to be the only one deemed worthy of working with him - something he hopes he will _ remain _ worthy of - and the first test of his worthiness is literally just around the next corner. He takes a breath, noting the faint smell of cloves emanating from the older doctor beside him and tries to focus. _ Here goes nothing... _

*

As they enter the cath lab, Will spots who he suspects is the patient - a somewhat chubby man wearing a hospital gown in a wheelchair who looks quite nervous. Dr. Lecter directs Will to the hard chart and the computer station so he can review the medical record, and then leaves to discuss something with the nurse and technician. Will starts reading about their patient - Franklyn Froidveaux - and Will finds himself smiling stupidly for a moment as he thinks “_ their _ patient” - he has to admit he likes the thought of them as a team, which is odd since he usually doesn’t like to be part of a team, preferring to work alone. Maybe just as Dr. Lecter has deemed him worthy to work with, maybe Will has subconsciously decided the same. _ Huh. _

_ Okay, so as Dr. Lecter said, Mr. Froidveaux has symptomatic obstructive coronary artery disease, yet his CK-MB and ECG were negative for evidence of MI...although yeesh with a 90% blockage he’s not far away from one _ \- Will can see why this can’t safely wait for Dr. Dimmond to return. He reads on..._history of hypertension and diabetes, both appear fairly controlled with his current medications, non-smoker, and the only previous surgical history was a lap chole five years ago. _ He scans down the lab results, reviewing the ones flagged high or low..._hmm okay...nothing too crazy_, he can do this. Will sees the vitals populate in the computer as the nurse takes them and reviews those as well, _ acceptable_. Satisfied, he logs out of the EMR, closes the hard chart, and rises, walking over to where he sees Dr. Lecter talking with two others.

As he comes up beside Dr. Lecter, the older doctor turns to him and introduces him. “Dr. Graham, this is Martha, one of our best nurses, and Rob the technician. Martha and Rob, this is Dr. Graham, my resident. Martha, Dr. Graham will be assisting me in your place today, though I assure you it’s not a reflection on your skill - Dr. Graham needs opportunities to learn.” Martha giggles and blushes slightly at the compliment, looking entirely charmed by Dr. Lecter and Will is surprised to feel his hackles rising ; it takes him a moment to identify the feeling and is surprised to realize it’s jealousy - possessive jealousy. He didn’t realize how quickly he got used to being the sole focus of Dr. Lecter’s attention and realizes how silly it is. He tries to shake off the feeling, focusing on being as professional as he can.

“Nice to meet you both,” Will says, tone aiming for professional but he’s not sure his face doesn’t reflect some of his inner feeling, wondering if his smile is more like a grimace but if so it can’t be helped; he feels like his inner possessive Alpha is trying to make itself known and he tries to tamp it down. Why does he feel like this? He has no claim over Dr. Lecter...

“Nice to meet you too Dr. Graham,” Martha replies, looking at him with an almost star-struck expression, blush remaining on her cheeks, and shaking his hand slightly longer than he would like after he shakes the hand of the tech who, to be honest, looks somewhere between intimidated and asleep, but mostly like he’d rather be anywhere but here. “I’m sure we can expect great things from you,” she says, and Will is thrown, flashing back to Nancy in HR saying almost the exact same thing. Before he can form a reply, he hears Dr. Lecter pointedly clear his throat, and sees him take a step toward them, saying,

“Yes we certainly do,” his tone clearly both prideful and putting an end to the conversation, and Will is thrown even more, hearing the confidence imbued in Dr. Lecter’s words, almost as if he’s showing him off. Fuck he hasn’t done anything yet. _ Pressure is on now, _Will thinks. Then Dr. Lecter continues, “Martha, can you get the patient situated before you go?” Martha snaps into action.

“Oh yes doctor!” She scampers off and the technician returns to the imaging equipment, looking relieved nothing more is asked of him.

*

“Lets go scrub in,” Hannibal says, turning away and walking towards the sinks, using the moment to attempt to process his feelings. What is going on? What is this resident doing to him? Hannibal has _ never _ had a problem keeping his emotions in check, especially at work...but just now he really couldn’t help himself, he just instinctively reacted. He could have _ sworn _ that Martha was flirting with his resident- which he privately concedes is somewhat understandable, the boy is quite attractive - however it’s also highly unprofessional! Yet if Hannibal is honest with himself, that is not what upset him...his Alpha instinct reacted out of jealousy, strangely wanting to protect the young Alpha from this insignificant Beta’s flirting. And his response? Lord, he spoke as if he owns the young doctor! How embarrassing! He admits he certainly has a stake in Dr. Graham’s success, but was his reaction really necessary? He tries to get himself back under control as he rolls up his shirtsleeves. 

Hannibal turns on the taps at the large stainless-steel surgical trough sink and starts the process of scrubbing up, seeing his resident come up beside him and do the same. Hannibal, having the routine memorized due to years of doing this, watches the young Alpha’s hands under the guise of making sure he’s doing it correctly (he is), but Hannibal can’t deny the man has attractive hands - they look strong, with long fingers, and he absently wonders what the young doctor’s hands would feel like...smooth? Or rough?

*

Will follows Dr. Lecter to the sink, feeling better the more distance he puts between himself and that nurse, happy she will be dismissed soon, and secretly pleased to be taking on her role. _ That’s right Martha! Dr. Lecter doesn’t need _ ** _you_**_, he needs _ ** _me_**_! Well...maybe not _ ** _need_****.**..he realizes his thoughts are sounding jealous and petty so instead he focuses on scrubbing in. He begins washing, following Dr. Lecter’s lead - Will thinks he remembers the gist of how to do this but doesn’t want to miss anything. In watching Dr. Lecter’s hands he can’t help but notice what nice hands they are - elegant, long fingers, a few veins visible under the tan skin - they look like strong hands, capable hands, dexterous, attractive...and Will suppose that makes sense, he is one of the best surgeons in the country and surgeons primarily use their hands. His eyes travel up his strong looking forearms before he catches himself, realizing he’s not sure how long he’s been staring at his attending physician and looks up, feeling a slight blush rise to his cheeks. Thankfully Dr. Lecter seems to be focused on the task at hand, like the professional he is. 

They finish up and enter the operating room to put on the gloves, gown, and mask, and Will sees the patient has already been situated on the table and Rob is waiting by the ECG machine, still looking simultaneously half-asleep and uncomfortable. Dr. Lecter explains to Will what all the equipment is and what the procedure will entail, before confirming Will is ready. Will affirms he is, having a _ ‘shit is this really happening? _’ moment before kicking into gear.

Dr. Lecter wasn’t kidding when he said Will would act as the surgical nurse. From the first moment Will is definitely hands on, with Dr. Lecter asking for different pieces of equipment and exchanging them when needed. Will watches intently as Dr. Lecter cuts a small hole into the patient’s inner thigh, dabbing up the small amount of blood with some gauze, before inserting the guidewire with the catheter and stent attached to it. Once it’s in, Will watches as Dr. Lecter works the guidewire up through the patient’s circulatory system to the correct artery in the heart. Will occasionally glances at the technician and continues to the vibe that the tech is uncomfortable, but he supposes having a high profile surgeon in the room plus a resident would make most people uncomfortable.

Once the guidewire is in place, Dr. Lecter explains that he will now have the catheter release some contrast so they can see blood flow before and after the stent is placed, using X-ray imaging to confirm that the stent works. As he speaks, Rob slides over to the X-ray machine in preparation just as a question pops into Will’s mind; he remembers Dr. Lecter saying it was okay to ask, so he says,

“What kind of contrast is it? Iodine?” Dr. Lecter pauses, his focus visibly shifting from the patient to Will, and Will hopes he didn’t make a mistake opening his mouth. 

*

“Yes it is,” Hannibal says, exceedingly curious as to what the young doctor will say next. This is really his first test, and while Hannibal finds himself rooting for him to pass with flying colors, he is not going to make this easy.

“Isn’t it risky to use iodine dye on someone with diabetes?” Dr. Graham asks, and Hannibal smiles to himself, readying himself for this discussion.

“There is some risk yes. How would you evaluate if this patient is inappropriate for iodine dye or not? Solely the presence or absence of diabetes?” Hannibal asks, watching the young doctor process the question.

“No, no, it would be primarily through kidney function labs, and probably also the A1c. And all of those were within normal range for this patient...but considering his history wouldn't it be safer to use carbon dioxide instead of iodine? I mean, his kidney function is fine right now, but he has diabetes _ and _hypertension, the top two causes of kidney failure, and iodine contrast is nephrotoxic...” Hannibal nods, hearing the logical argument be made.

“A valid case but you are missing one piece of information I’m afraid,” Hannibal says, pleased to see color rise to the young Alpha’s cheeks, a rather cute sight.

“What is that?” his resident asks bravely.

“Carbon dioxide radiography is contraindicated for use on vital organs such as the heart and the brain due to the risk of ischemia,” Hannibal says and watches as his resident processes the information.

“That means alternate options to iodine would be what, gadolinium?” Dr. Graham asks.

“Yes, or a diluted dose of iodine,” Hannibal supplies, before asking, “So knowing what you know Dr. Graham, tell me what would you order for this patient?” Hannibal waits, watching the young doctor forming his thoughts before he speaks.

*

_ Fuck fuck fuck, _ Will feels like an idiot. He totally forgot about carbon dioxide radiography not being used on vital organs - of course it’s not, we breathe it out for a reason for fuck’s sake! Oh god can the floor open up and swallow him? Why did he open his mouth? Oh well, if nothing else he’s confident in his answer now and says, “I would use normal iodine. Gadolinium is nephrotoxic too, and in the absence of any evidence of kidney impairment there’s no reason to dilute the dose as it may risk poorer quality image.” After he finishes his answer he makes himself look at his attractive attending physician, seeing his eyes above the surgical mask, and waits for his fate. 

*

Hannibal smiles behind his mask, pleased. He’s happy the young doctor wasn't too cocky or stubborn to resist changing his mind when presented with new information - in fact he looks a little embarrassed behind his mask if Hannibal had to guess. Hannibal can tell his young resident has a lot of learning to do - he’s obviously coming at things from a medical point of view (rather than surgical), which makes sense since that’s what he's more familiar with - and like all new doctors he is more focused on the optimal solution versus what is realistic. It’s exactly what Hannibal can work with to mold him into a fine surgeon. 

“I agree completely. Shall we proceed?” he asks and sees his resident nod, body language relaxing slightly.

*

Will continues to observe attentively as Dr. Lecter annotates his actions and finally the contrast is administered. After the technician captures the before X-ray, he slides over to the ECG, when all of a sudden he yells out, “Doctor! Stop!” Both Alphas turn to look at Rob who is pointing at the ECG readings which do look abnormal. Will sees Dr. Lecter’s eyes narrow at the readings before instantly starting the process of removing the guidewire without completing the procedure - standard protocol from what Will remembers - no sense in further stressing the heart until they can make sure the patient’s arrhythmia is controlled. However, a split second later Will recognizes what he is seeing on the screen and yells out,

“No, Dr. Lecter, wait!” All eyes in the room turn to Will, both Dr. Lecter and Rob wearing surprised expressions but Dr. Lecter’s movements do halt so Will hastens to explain. “I think he’s fine, let me check something.” Will sees Dr. Lecter nod, watching him intently and if Will wasn’t so confident what he was seeing he’d be scared shitless, but he’s almost 100% sure he knows what’s going on…

He comes up beside Mr. Froidveaux who is lightly sedated and pulls back his gown to check the ECG lead placements and sure enough, the RA and LA leads are reversed. _ Gotcha! _Will would hate to be Rob right now, but he peels them back and corrects the placement, all the while feeling Dr. Lecter’s intense gaze on him. Once fixed, Will looks back at the ECG screen and it reads normally. Satisfied, he looks to Dr. Lecter who’s expression Will can’t quite interpret and it makes him nervous…and Rob’s terrified expression isn’t helping his trepidation...

*

Hannibal is shocked, so shocked in fact he’s not sure where to begin. First of all, how did the technician make such a rudimentary error? Regardless of how, he _ did _, and Hannibal fully plans to speak to his supervisor by the end of the day because that is simply unacceptable. On the heels of that shock comes the shock that he himself didn’t notice the distinguished pattern of reversed leads on the ECG readings. He supposes he has come to trust the staff in the cath lab to do their job, but maybe he has gotten too lax if he overlooked it. Thank god his young resident caught that! Yes Dr. Graham is continuously full of pleasant surprises. Issue resolved, Hannibal says, “Let’s finish up, shall we?” 

*

Will sees Rob hastily return to the X-ray machine, ready to take the after X-ray as soon as the stent is snapped into place. Despite his unease, Will comes to Dr. Lecter’s side, watching in awe as he completes the procedure flawlessly, looking totally in his element. Will has to stand closer than is really polite to see what he’s doing, and in the process catches a whiff of cloves over the sterile medicinal smells in the room, and Will can’t deny he’s beginning to find it a comforting smell, despite his growing worry about his performance. Shortly after, the after X-ray confirms the stent is in place and blood is flowing well - procedure complete. 

*

Hannibal discards his mask, gown, and gloves, watching his resident do the same in his peripheral vision as the embarrassed technician helps the patient back into his wheelchair and makes a hasty exit. They both wash their hands side by side at the washing basin and when they are done Hannibal leads them to the doctor’s dining room since it’s almost lunch time anyway, which gives Hannibal some time to organize his thoughts, something he doesn’t have to do often. Were he any less intelligent and aware of his intelligence he would feel embarrassed or threatened that _ day one _ a _ medical resident _ caught a mistake like that when he himself didn’t, but instead he finds he feels incredibly happy, jovial, jubilant even - his resident is exceeding his expectations, a rare feat indeed.

*

Will follows the older doctor obediently, reflecting on the experience. Dr. Lecter hasn’t said anything to him since the procedure was completed and he’s not sure what that means. Maybe it’s not good to show up your world-renowned supervising physician on day one? But surely he did the right thing? Truly there was nothing else to be done other than what he did. There is no place for excessive ego in medicine and if Dr. Lecter is that sensitive maybe he is not as great as Will thought he was, which if true is a disappointing thought. He wonders if he blew it, if he’ll be dismissed? Then he reminds himself that - again - nothing has happened yet and to reign in his overactive imagination.

*

They both get food and wordlessly sit down at their table off to the side. The room is fairly empty as it’s still slightly earlier than official lunch hour, and Hannibal can smell the floral scent of his young resident, although it seems slightly dampened despite the room being so absent of others. 

“That was an impressive catch you made, how did you know?” Hannibal says, curious to get a glimpse into his intriguing resident’s mind. Blue eyes meet his, looking honestly surprised for a moment, as if he were expecting something else, before he replies.

“Thank you...umm...I recognized that pattern from when we did ECG lab at school. Someone in our group swapped the leads when they put it on me and so I will forever remember seeing my own heartbeat look abnormal...it scared me until I realized what I was seeing.”

Hannibal smiles as he takes a bite of his beef stroganoff, nodding in understanding and loving every tidbit of information he learns about this young Alpha; he can easily envision him scared he’s having an arrhythmia, and that fear likely making the readings even worse. And strong emotions do strengthen memories - it’s no wonder he recognized it so quickly.

“Remind me to show you the cardiac research lab here sometime, it’s where we conducted our arrhythmia study,” Hannibal says and sees his young resident stop his fork mid-raise to his pretty mouth.

“Oh that would be amazing. Thank you,” he says, sounding genuinely interested. As lunch continues, Hannibal learns more and more about his resident, and they stay sitting talking long after lunch hour is over, as if they are secluded in their own little world. Hannibal is delighted to learn that the young Dr. Graham is not afraid to disagree with him, and Hannibal finds he is delighted to have someone to intelligently debate with yet who is also open to learning too, with Hannibal even learning a few things which have changed since his time in med school. The conversation flows smoothly and the time just flies. Hannibal is almost shocked when his pager goes off notifying him he has a stat consult and that it’s already three o’clock. He’s been talking to Dr. Graham for two hours?!?

*

Will is caught off guard at first when the older Alpha gives him a compliment on how he performed, but finds he is warmed and relieved that he has Dr. Lecter’s approval. The more they talk, the more Will finds he really enjoys talking to Dr. Lecter; he’s incredibly intelligent and Will soaks up his wisdom like a sponge, learning new things and new points of view. Yet he feels that the information exchange is not one way - there are times he finds Dr. Lecter considering his point of view, asking him additional questions to clarify his point, make sure he is understood, before coming to his conclusion. In a way they are debating, coming from opposing points of view - one both surgical and experienced, one medical but with a more recent education - but both with equal intelligence. Will finds it intriguing how they can both approach the same problem in two completely different ways, yet both valid, and Will can feel his clinical reasoning skills growing by the second. This is exactly what he wanted out of his residency, what he expected, and he’s incredibly happy he listened to his gut and changed to surgical, if only for this incredible man sat across from him.

*

Over the next few days, Will relishes the time he spends with Dr. Lecter, often staying past when he is required to, not wanting to miss any opportunity to learn from the intelligent older Alpha. Because of this, he ends up missing his evening phone call with Margot more than once, and other times only has time for a quick recap with her before they both get ready for bed. When they do talk Margot tells him about her new position as an associate hospital administrator, and Will tells her about his residency and about how much loves working with Dr. Lecter, how intelligent and inspirational he is. On their first call Margot sounds supportive and excited for him, listening attentively to his experiences. But on the second call, Will is both shocked and hurt when Margot says - aiming for joking but it coming out more fed up - “Can’t you talk about something else for awhile? I feel like right now I know more about Dr. Lecter than you!”

After that Will makes an effort to try to talk about something else, but to be honest there isn't really much else in his life worth talking about at the moment, being as ensconced in his residency as he is. So instead he asks about her and listens politely, trying to find places to ask questions. More than one he has to actively hold his tongue because nearly everything she says reminds him of something about Dr. Lecter. For example, Margot tells Will that she has been getting more into cooking recently (_ Can you believe it? I feel like an adult! _) and that she made crab cakes that she is particularly proud of, thinking Will would like them and remind him of home. Will agrees to pick up some of the crab cakes from Margot, however instantly this whole cooking conversation causes Will to (of course) think about his conversation with Dr. Lecter about cooking (apparently the man might as well be a classically trained French chef if the rumors are anything to go by), and by the time they hang up, Will has already forgotten about his promise to pick up the crab cakes, mind inexorably drawn back to his Alpha attending physician.

*

The day after next, Hannibal is sitting at his desk, packing up his stuff so he and _ Will _ can go to lunch. A few days into the residency, Hannibal had no qualms at all about suggesting they call each other by their first names, feeling like in the short time he has known Will Graham, he has more than earned his respect, and deep down Hannibal has to admit he loves hearing Will call him by his first name - as if they are friends. As if they are close, familiar. Hannibal can tell he’s starting to have incredibly inconvenient feelings for the young doctor but he can stop it no more than the moon can stop causing ocean tides, and he finds in all honesty he doesn’t want to stop the feelings. Sure they are ill-timed, but he can’t recall _ ever _feeling this way about another person, and the prospect of finding someone he is intrigued by is thrilling; in fact he finds himself already envisioning ways to circumvent the hospital’s ‘No Dating Residents’ policy.

Preparing to go down for lunch, Hannibal sets his computer’s lock screen, sending a smile at Will across from him, pleased to see him smile prettily back as he closes his notebook. Just as Hannibal rises from his seat, feeling quite content with his life at the moment, there is a knock on his open office door. Both men turn and Hannibal is surprised to see a young attractive woman dressed in a pantsuit peeking in, eyes automatically landing on Will and walking towards him. He sees recognition in Will’s blue eyes as the girl enters the room. The woman’s eyes briefly meet Hannibal’s own before returning to Will’s.

“Margot?” Will says, surprised. “What are you doing here?”

“Hello to you too,” she says, attitude coloring her tone, and Hannibal catches a whiff of vanilla, realizing she’s an Omega. She holds up a bag in irritation and he sees Will stiffen slightly, looking uncomfortable; it’s an unfamiliar expression Hannibal hasn’t seen on him before and he doesn’t like it. 

“Oh my gosh, I’m sorry Margot, I forgot,” Hannibal hears Will say, voice lowered almost out of earshot across the small office. Will accepts the bag and looks down, clearly apologetic, the feeling in the room suddenly very awkward.

“No, no, I know you’re busy, so I thought I’d drop it off for lunch. I have to get back though...so I’ll see you Friday?” she says and is surprised to see Will meet her halfway, leaning in to kiss her briefly on the mouth before pulling back.

“Yeah, I’ll see you Friday,” Will says, the whole encounter feeling very tense, but Hannibal is so shocked he feels like he could be knocked over with a feather. Will has a girlfriend?!? An Omega girlfriend?!? Hannibal has to admit he did not expect this and finds himself staggeringly disappointed, trying to school his features into nonchalance, averting his eyes out of presumed politeness.

Eventually Hannibal walks around the desk, finally meeting his young resident’s eyes, unable to fully decipher the expression on his face but Hannibal’s closest guess would be embarrassment. And Hannibal is loathe to admit he feels something similar. How could he be so stupid? Falling for his resident? Maybe this encounter he witnessed is a blessing in disguise. In fact, maybe Will’s scent should have tipped him off. Lily of the valley is a beautiful flower with a sweet scent, but isn’t it also poisonous? Deadly if consumed? Maybe this is a sign to stay away from him? If Hannibal continues down this road, could Will Graham lead to his undoing? Hannibal has to admit his attraction to Will certainly feels dangerous, not only because it is technically against the rules, but simply by how unpredictable Will is to Hannibal; Will makes him feel things he never has before, do things he never would have considered before. And as a doctor he knows one of the worst things is the unknown. How can you treat a patient when you don’t know what’s wrong? How can he prevent himself from getting hurt, if he can’t predict Will? Maybe he should heed the ominous sign of Will’s scent now and stop considering Will Graham as anything other than his resident, not as a friend...or anything more. The thought fills him with more sadness than he is prepared for at the moment, so he forges on past Will, walking down to the doctor’s dining room, hearing Will fall into step beside him a few moments later.

When they arrive, Hannibal goes to make a salad at the salad bar, not feeling incredibly hungry, and notes Will goes straight to what has become “their” table, seeing him open the bag from his girlfriend. Hannibal takes a moment to steel himself before he makes his way over and sits down, seeing Will has started eating what looks like sloppily made greasy crab cakes - obviously the oil in the pan was not hot enough when _ Margot _ cooked them. _ Amateur, _ Hannibal mentally scoffs. Hannibal himself could do better… in fact, he could cook amazing things for Will! Hannibal is surprised at the effort it takes to reign in his runaway thoughts of making dinner for Will in his home, drinking wine with him in front of the fire.._.no! Pay attention Hannibal! _ As much as it pains him, he does want to know more about this girl who has captured Will’s heart.

*

Will hates how hard it is for him to raise his eyes to Hannibal’s when he sits down opposite him. Why is he so embarrassed about Margot visiting him in front of Hannibal? Will blushes a little, secretly loving that he can call Hannibal by his first name now - so far he hasn’t witnessed anyone else who calls him that, and the fact that he has been invited to do so, it makes him feel special, prized. Will can’t help but worry what Hannibal thinks of him...he finds himself wishing Margot hadn’t stopped by - why is that? A deeper part of him that doesn't want to acknowledge it knows the reason - it’s because he wants Hannibal to think he's available; he liked having that metaphorical door open, and feels like it was just slammed shut in his face. However, if he’s honest with himself, was it really open before? What is he thinking?!? Surely the most esteemed surgeon in the country can do better than dating his resident? Let alone another Alpha male - if there was anyone who he would bet would _ not _want to date another Alpha, surely it would be a widely successful surgeon. Hannibal may be one of the best surgeons out there, but he's still a surgeon, and that typically comes with some ego - your hands affecting life or death, not only your mind - but in Hannibal’s case both and he surely wouldn't want to date an Alpha, right?

He takes another bite of the crab cakes - they’re greasy and under seasoned but edible - as he and Hannibal make small talk that feels strained and awkward. Hannibal asks about Margot and Will answers as best he can, trying to fight away the embarrassment he feels - and then subsequently feels shame over his embarrassment as he takes another bite of the crab cakes Margot made _ for him_. _ Fuck, he’s a bad person. _He has a sinking feeling he knows what is going to happen at his meeting with Margot on Friday...but he also feels like it’s becoming inevitable.

*

On Friday after lunch, Hannibal finds himself more short tempered than usual, snapping at the charge nurse who accidentally double booked him for procedures. Thankfully he trusts Will to prep the second patient so it works out in the end (he still has to do the surgery himself though), but once it is all done he realizes his agitation is the familiar early sign of his rut coming on, the hormones coursing through him likely making him more irritable than usual. He is about to curse his suppressants not working but realizes that even with a perfect suppressant regimen, he _ is _technically due for one. Damn, how could he forget? He’s usually very on top of this. He secretly admits that it was probably his fascination with Will Graham that distracted him. He is thankful though, because of all times to have it, it’s not a bad time, a Friday afternoon. He can go home soon, and hopefully it will be over before he has to be at work Monday, with no one the wiser, as his ruts are typically only one to two days when he’s on suppressants. 

Now the question is - does he want to go through his rut alone? Or find someone? Of course his traitorous mind instantly envisions his beautiful resident, but that obviously isn’t going to happen, Hannibal’s eidetic memory instantly recalling the kiss he witnessed earlier against his will, which paints a sour look on his face. No, perhaps going it alone would not be the wisest course of action, he doesn’t want to be tormented with his vivid imagination, lamenting what he can’t have. 

So with that in mind, Hannibal finds some mental fortitude and changes gears, scrolling through his mental rolodex of potential partners. Maybe someone female would be better, the less like Will the better. Instantly his mind recalls Dr. Bloom from the pediatric ward. Despite being an Alpha herself, she has expressed interest in him multiple times. In the past he has always politely turned her down. Strangely she has many of the characteristics Hannibal typically likes in partner - direct communication, intelligence, independence, beauty...and she works in pediatrics, a field he is obviously passionate about - but surprisingly never once he has ever felt compelled to be in her presence. However, maybe she is exactly what he needs to get his mind off of Will Graham - a change of pace, and who knows? Will Graham surprised him, maybe Alana will surprise him too? With her citrus Alpha scent and female wile and charm...anything is possible. Course of action decided, he lets Will off early (he looks a bit checked out anyway) and heads up to the pediatric ward.

Walking into the pediatric ward, Hannibal can’t help the brief tug at his heart, seeing the colorfully painted walls, the stuffed animals, the toys, the nurse wearing colored scrubs, and _ everything _ in miniature size - it reminds him of Mischa and he takes a breath to compose himself before making his way to the nurse’s station. He can feel the eyes of the primarily female staff on him, many appreciative, but he ignores them. He asks the charge nurse where he can find Dr. Bloom, but before she can answer, Dr. Bloom comes out of a nearby room and her eyes positively light up - any doubt Hannibal had that she is still interested dissipates. This will be like shooting fish in a barrel. 

Hannibal takes her out of the ward under the guise of getting a cup of coffee down in doctors dining room and once they are seated he places his hand on hers, laying the groundwork before he makes the proposition. Despite his disclaimer of no guarantee of permanence to their relationship after his rut is over, of course she agrees, and plans to meet him at his place after her shift is over. With a plan in place, Hannibal drives home, feeling urges of need growing in him by the moment, like an itch inside of him building, demanding attention and _ soon. _

As agreed upon, Alana helps him through his rut, and upon reflection Hannibal can’t say he’s really into her - for better or worse, no surprise to be found with her. She is, however, a pleasant enough distraction from his growing obsession with Will. Once he can think clearly again, he mentally berates himself for his lack of control over the situation. Honestly, it's like as soon as he realized Will was unavailable, his obsession has gotten ten times worse! But for the time being, Hannibal allows himself to get lost in the company of this fierce Alpha female who by all logic should be an ideal partner for Hannibal, but for some reason she’s incredibly forgettable to him.

*

On Friday Will is surprised that it appears both himself and Hannibal are both in a foul mood. It’s no mystery why Will is in a bad mood. After work he agreed to meet up with Margot, and he is sure it’s not going to be a pleasant evening. All week their interactions have been strained. Will knows that since his residency began, he has had less and less time for Margot, and if he's honest, less and less interest. 

Their phone call last night felt like a preview of the end. He had pointed out that he has no choice but to spend his days with his incredible older mentor, which Margot couldn’t argue with. What Margot did argue (validly) is that Will often chooses to spend his free time with said man whenever possible, staying after his required hours to learn about his research or see a unique patient or get trained on some type of equipment - _ it’s always something_, and often talks about him quite a bit. Will feels like _ of course _ he's going to talk about him, he's a big part of his life, but Margot argues she feels like she is no longer important to Will anymore, if his actions are anything to go by. Will can't argue with her much there and is too tired to even try. 

By the end of their call, they agree to meet up the following day (today) after having some time to cool off, but truthfully Will can see only one outcome - they are likely going to break up, and the paltry amount of sadness he feels only cements that it’s the right decision. The sadness he does feel is on Margot’s behalf - even if they aren’t right for each other, he cares about her and doesn’t want to hurt her. He’s known for some time that she deserves better, and tonight will likely be the first step to her obtaining that.

The reason for Hannibal’s foul mood is less clear to Will. Since Margot’s spontaneous visit earlier in the week, his and Hannibal’s easy camaraderie has felt slightly more awkward, more stilted and professional, but Will chalked that up to his own fault, as embarrassed as he was. It’s bad enough that he’s a bad boyfriend, but to have it on display in front of your world renowned surgeon mentor who you also happen to have an inconvenient but undeniable crush on is a hundred times worse. If he ever had any shred of hope that the older Alpha would be even remotely interested in him, that encounter likely vaporized that shred of hope. Yet today he has witnessed a new side of Hannibal. He speaks less, tone professional but curt, and seems to have zero patience, already having yelled at two nurses. For a second Will thought one of those nurses would faint and he belatedly admitted only to himself how intimidating the older doctor was in that moment. He’s both in awe of Hannibal and yet also would not want to be on the receiving end of that scorn.

For this reason, Will is not as surprised as he would have been when Hannibal dismisses him at only three in the afternoon, two hours earlier than they typically depart; but Hannibal looks strung out and Will’s mind is preoccupied. dreading the evening, so he doesn’t question it but mutters a token “Have a nice weekend,” and leaves.

Later that evening he meets Margot at the bar they agreed on, and it goes marginally better than Will expects. By the end of the night they both decide to take a break as both are tired of fighting, but Margot is not confident enough to permanently end it now. Will almost pushes for it to be a permanent break up but holds his tongue. Margot (logically) points out that it could just be the stress of Will’s residency, and that she doesn't feel right abandoning him when he's under stress, but does say that if nothing changes then this is not the relationship she wants. Will respects her point, and concedes it is possible, feeling like his thoughts are all a jumble from the alcohol and his strained relationships, so he agrees to her proposition to take a few weeks away from each other and then meet up to evaluate how they feel. 

That weekend Will allows himself more freedom to think about Hannibal in a more than professional way without guilt. He knows it’s highly discouraged, but he can’t help how he feels. It's not the first time he's been attracted to an Alpha male, and he's not getting his hopes up for a variety of reasons (not only the professionalism, but most Alpha males hate the idea of being with another Alpha, even as a fling, it’s so ingrained into their nature), but he's never been one to shy away from a challenge. He didn’t get where he is today by avoiding hard work.

Will spends some time brainstorming how he can use his limited free time to try to get to know Hannibal a little better off the clock. He ends up coming up with a plan to invite Hannibal to go with him to a presentation being given at the university by a famous cardiologist from California presenting his research on a novel approach to treating heart failure, which just happens to be in the evening, and plans to ask him about it on Monday. What better time to test the waters than when he and Margot are on break? It’s not the most ethical thing to do, but he’s not a coward and likes being as direct as the situation can allow - something he thinks Hannibal likes too from his limited interactions with him. 

On Monday, Will has to admit he’s getting cold feet, common sense encroaching on his plan now that he’s back working in the hospital alongside Hannibal, who seems in a much improved mood. He hasn’t even been in his residency for a month and he’s going to ask out his attending physician? A world renowned Alpha male surgeon? It screams of being a bad idea for many reasons and he spends the day mentally hemming and hawing, staring at Hannibal more than he probably should, trying to get any clue, any inking if something is there between them or if his growing infatuation is one-sided.

*

Hannibal finds himself feeling much better Monday morning, rut over, back to business as usual. Except that his pretty resident seems to have decided to scrutinize him today and Hannibal can’t quite parse out why. At first he wonders if it’s something so pedestrian as something on his face, but a quick check in the mirror shows no abnormality. And besides, he may not know Will well but he knows him well enough to be direct. So what is it that’s got his resident taking such an indirect approach? If the circumstances were different he could almost believe they were flirtatious appreciative looks, but surely that can’t be the case as Will has a girlfriend - an Omega girlfriend. Hannibal tries his best to push it from his mind, because really what else can he do?

*

As the day is nearing its end, Will finds his bravery has somewhat returned. After a day of staring at Hannibal and realizing just how much he really wants this man, in any capacity he can have him, he decides the risk is worth it. Plus, he’s not dumb, he’s intentionally chosen a work-related event, which theoretically could be a professional event, something colleagues would go to together, not necessarily a date, ambiguous enough to be deniable. But if Hannibal accepts, then it’s an opportunity to spend some time alone together away from the hospital, off the clock, by his own choice, and Will likes the sound of that immensely. 

As Will he goes to put away his notebook, he realizes it’s not there. He tells Hannibal he’ll be right back and quickly hoofs it over to ICU, hoping it’s still where he probably left it when he was taking notes on follow up care after emergency trauma surgery. Thankfully he finds it next to the computer station, and he is smiling to himself as he walks back, thinking how easily Hannibal had agreed to wait for him just so they could walk out together like they usually do, when he stops dead in his tracks at the sight before him in Hannibal’s office.

“Hannibal I-” Will starts but stops when he takes in the scene before him. Will is frozen outside Hannibal’s office, looking in at said man, and is shocked to see Hannibal lean down and kiss a beautiful woman that, after the initial shock wears off, Will thinks he recognizes from the pediatric ward - Dr. Bloom? He didn’t know she and Hannibal were an item...but then again he didn’t tell Hannibal about Margot so really what did he expect? Hannibal doesn’t owe him anything. Fuck he was so stupid, what was he thinking? 

*

Hannibal turns at a sound at the door, surprised to hear Will return so quickly, and instead sees Alana, leaning seductively in the door frame. She had initially agreed to his terms of it being a one time thing, but he found himself agreeing to a date, open to seeing how compatible they are when he’s not in a rut, the image of Will kissing Margot a prime motivator. Why shouldn’t he enjoy life? Or at least be open to opportunities? Alana comes up and kisses him, and Hannibal is surprised but allows it, caught off guard as he is. He had planned to meet her in the pediatric ward since it’s on the way to the parking structure, yet here she is. As he pulls back from kissing her he hears Will’s voice and turns to see Will has returned and is standing in the doorway, expression one Hannibal has never seen and can’t instantly place.

*

“Will!” Hannibal says, and Will sees his eyes do light up when they see him but Will finds he is too blinded by jealousy to feel anything. Hannibal appears to take a moment to redirect his thoughts before he gestures to the woman at his side, “This is Dr. Alana Bloom.” Will makes no move to enter the room further. He knows he should shake her hand but right now he is surprised how much jealousy and hurt he feels. Fuck, he wants to be the one Hannibal is kissing and he needs to leave before he says or does something he regrets. 

“Hi,” he says towards Dr. Bloom, before turning to Hannibal holding up his notebook, “...um I found it,” he says, feeling like he’s barely holding back his hurt. Will grabs his bag from the chair, only going into the room as far as he needs to, then retreats back to the door frame, “Nice to meet you” Will says to Dr. Bloom, clearly a goodbye, not even remotely sounding genuine, before looking at Hannibal, saying “I’ll see you tomorrow.” Without a backwards glance, Will spins out into the hallway and books it as fast as he discreetly can to the exit.

*

Hannibal’s face falls for a moment before he schools his features into as neutral as he can manage. _Will was lying! That’s what that awful expression was gracing his handsome face - deception - and it’s unspeakably ugly_, Hannibal doesn’t care for it at all. What is he lying about? The only disputable fact in Will’s sentence is the part about that it’s nice to meet Alana _ oh f- _

“Hey, you ready?” Alana gets his attention, a gentle hand on his arm but a shrewd expression on her face, suggesting she is seeing more than she lets on, clearly seeing the strain between the two men, which further encourages Hannibal to plaster a fake smile on his face.

“Yes, let’s go,” he says.

*

Will tries to collect his thoughts as he walks back to his apartment - he feels crummy, alone, and hurt - why is he so hurt? He thought he hadn’t set his expectations high, but he didn’t even know Hannibal had a girlfriend…he never mentioned her, but then again Will doesn’t mention Margot. Somehow the hurt he feels at seeing that Hannibal is unavailable now makes it is clear in Will’s mind that he can't go on with Margot, it's not fair. Even if Hannibal is unavailable and uninterested, to Will it’s clear where his heart lies. He’s captivated by Hannibal, by his authority, his intelligence, his humor, his charm, his body, fuck everything about him. Yet Will is not female so what are the chances Hannibal would even be interested in him, even if he and Dr. Bloom broke up? It's hopeless. He goes back to his crummy apartment and of course can’t sleep, so he does something he rarely does - he gets dressed and walks a few blocks down to a nearby bar, needing a change of scenery, needing to forget, needing to stop seeing Hannibal kiss Dr. Bloom every time he closes his eyes. 

Once at the bar, Will proceeds to unashamedly get drunk, wanting nothing more than to forget. About an hour in, he catches the eye of a blonde young man at the bar - he's decent looking and clearly is interested in him. Will instantly forgets his name the second it leaves the man’s lips, irrelevant for his purpose. They end up getting a booth together which they use for making out and necking. It feels great at first, Will even allowing the extremely forward Beta man to bite at his neck a little, as his Alpha instincts are too dulled with alcohol and sadness for it to occur to him to protest. However, as the daze of alcohol and distraction clears for a moment, it hits Will like a ton of bricks why Blondie is so appealing to him - _fuck_ he reminds him of Hannibal! Unable to cope with this epiphany in his inebriated state, Will immediately stops the impromptu makeout session, extracting himself with an apology to the Beta man. Will pays his tab and slowly walks home, stumbling in after three AM and passing out on his bed after he sets his alarm.

The next morning Will has a fucking awful hangover. Being the intelligent medical resident that he takes some aspirin, washing it down with some coffee, fully intending to get to the hospital early and hook himself up to an IV bag of fluid and electrolytes. As he brushes his teeth, he notices a huge hickey on his neck. _ Great, that’s fucking great. _Looking at the clock, Will is irritated to realize there’s not much he can do about it. It’s too big for a bandaid and Margot doesn’t leave her makeup here anymore, plus Will would know fuck-all what to do with it even if it was here. Maybe he can get a large bandage from a nurse on the way in? Although he realizes a large bandage would probably draw even more attention so instead he shrugs off his scrub top and forces the one with the smallest neck hole over his head (he never wears it because it always hurts his ears when he puts it on, but today it will serve his purpose to hopefully hide the awful biting bruise more than his normal scrub top would).

Seeing Hannibal that morning is awkward but they are both consummate professionals, able to work together and do the job, however now there is a tension between them, and for once Hannibal seems almost hesitant and indirect. Somehow this angers Will even more - he doesn't want Hannibal’s pity, thinking _ don’t pretend to care about me! _

*

Hannibal is concerned. The second Will walks in, Hannibal begins taking in details incongruous with the Will he has come to know. Will looks like he's been up all night - _ and is that a hickey on his neck?!? _ Hannibal is somewhat surprised to find the strong jealousy that manifests itself at the sight. It's not enough this beauty has a girlfriend, but apparently she’s immature enough to leave marks on Will - a professional who needs to be taken seriously, a doctor - in view of the public. Hannibal finds he instantly hates this Margot but knows deep down his hate is irrational and borne of jealousy and envy.

As his resident is still performing admirably, he has no professional grounds to comment, but he finds himself both insanely curious and insanely jealous. He wants to be the one to leave marks on Will. Alana confronted him gently on his feelings for Will on their date last night after the awkward encounter she witnessed between them. She had probed and prodded over dinner, and Hannibal found himself hesitant to talk to her about it. He’s not embarrassed, but he knows what he can't have and it hurts to give voice to it. Somehow if he says it, it feels more final, like he has no hope. And the last person he wants to talk to about it is Alana. She was supposed to be his break from this insanity, not mixed up in it. 

*

At the agreed upon day and time, and with a sinking feeling in his chest, Will meets up with Margot for coffee and they have a long discussion. Will wears a high collared shirt, not wanting to insult Margot - it’s not her fault he’s fucked up and the last thing he wants is for her to suffer any more than she already has. As they talk, neither are particularly passionate about saving the relationship. Will knows in his heart there is no hope, as his heart has already been claimed by his gorgeous attending physician (as much as he almost wishes otherwise as it seems incredibly hopeless, like the universe has picked the one person for him that he is least likely able to have, and then forced him into daily interaction with said person, it’s almost like torture). With a minimal amount of tears shed, they agree to break up and somehow after that point, the conversation does flow quite a bit better than their stilted evening phone calls all week. 

As they talk, Will remembers what attracted her to him in the first place - they really do make good friends. Will trusts his gut, knowing it’s kind of a clod move, but lacking any other options he asks her if she would mind still being his date _ as friends _ to the Hospital Awards Dinner coming up (since they already had plans to go together), and because she’s cool, she agrees, and Will is thankful. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥♥♥ Thank you to all who have read, left kudos, or comments!! I really appreciate it!! ♥♥♥ 
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
>   

> 
>   
  

> 
> **Chapter notes: **  
  
\- [Carbon Dioxide as a Contrast Agent article](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5633534/)\- article i used for reference to learn about it  
  
  
  
**Cheat sheet to the medical terminology:**  
  
\- **A1c ** \- blood test that measures average blood sugar over past 2-3 months, tests how controlled diabetes is  
\- **Angiogram ** \- test that uses X-rays to look at blood vessels of the heart  
\- **Angioplasty** \- procedure that opens blocked arteries of the heart  
\- **Cath Lab/Cardiac Cath Lab** \- operating room specifically for minimally invasive cardiac procedures like angioplasty  
\- **Catheter** \- thin flexible tube  
\- **CK-MB** \- stands for creatine kinase muscle/brain, a blood test used to help diagnose heart attack  
\- **ECG** \- short for echocardiogram, way to record electrical activity in the heart, that spiky up down earthquake looking thing on graph paper that has a spike for every heart beat (sorry that's a terrible explanation)  
\- **EMR** \- short for electronic medical record, medical records on a computer  
\- **Gadolinium** \- a metal that can be used for contrast for medical imaging  
\- **Guidewire** \- small flexible wire that doctor uses to thread catheter/etc up to the heart through the circulatory system  
\- **Hard chart** \- patient's paper medical record, usually in what looks like a three ring binder with a hard plastic cover  
\- **Hypertension** \- high blood pressure  
\- **ICU** \- intensive care unit  
\- **Ischemia ** \- reduced blood flow to an area of the body which can lead to damage from lack of oxygen  
\- **LA and RA leads** \- left arm and right arm leads - the sensors that detect electrical activity used for an ECG test  
\- **Lap chole** \- short for laparoscopic cholecystectomy - minimally invasive surgical removal of the gallbladder  
\- **MI** \- short for myocardial infarction, same as heart attack  
\- **Nephrotoxic** \- any substance that can be harmful to the kidneys  
\- **Radiography** \- class of imaging that included X-rays  
\- **Rule out** \- medical way of saying "We think you have this problem and we will test you for it to see if you have it or not"  
\- **Stent** \- metal or plastic tube inserted in blood vessel to keep it open  
\- **Symptomatic obstructive coronary artery disease** \- blood vessels of heart are blocked causing patient to experience symptoms such as chest pain  



	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> more angst, uncertainty and pining...also some marlana, and a dash of physical contact 😉 we're getting closer to the good stuff i promise

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As usual medical terminology used in the chapter is at the bottom if you wish to read it but you truly don’t need it to understand the story.

Two weeks later on a Friday evening, Will is getting ready for the hospital’s annual Award Dinner, and resenting it. From what he has gathered, none of the other residents _ have _ to go, although a few are choosing to go for networking purposes. With how strained his relationship with Hannibal has become recently, Will was hoping he could opt out. His hope was lost, however, when he was cornered by Dr. Crawford earlier in the week and informed that since Dr. Lecter (_gosh even the Chief of Medicine calls him Dr. Lecter!_) is getting an award, it is only appropriate for his resident to be there in support. Will knows he can’t argue with that, and is incredibly thankful he made arrangements with Margot to go with him. How pathetic would he look going alone? He stands in front of the small mirror in the bathroom and _ tries _ to tie his tie - he’s always been shit at tying ties. He gives it up as a lost cause after the third attempt - it’s crooked but it _ is _ tied, so it will have to do. He shrugs on his coat and grabs his keys, planning to pick up Margot on the way.

*

Hannibal stands in front of his full length mirror at home, straightening his bow tie, then doing up his cuff links one by one. He does a quick turn, checking out his backside in the mirror. _ Yes he’s still got it. _ Sadly, the object of his affections obviously doesn’t _ want _ what he has to offer. Hannibal can be many things, but a female Omega is not one of them - and even if he could, it is no guarantee since Will is already spoken for. Hannibal is belatedly thankful that he didn’t sever his relationship with Alana yet (he had been considering it for about a week now) because he is being forced to go to the hospital's annual Award Dinner. He normally would have gone anyway - being the Chief of Surgery, it’s only polite to be the face of the department at events like this - but he has to admit that this time he would have preferred not to go. In fact he had nearly succeeded in evading it, but Jack Crawford called him the other day, informing him that his presence is _ mandatory _ because he is receiving some sort of recognition. Of course, the one time he doesn’t want to go is the one time it’s mandatory. Resigned to his fate, he gets in his Bentley, picks up Alana - who looks lovely in a bright red dress - and together they drive to the hospital. 

*

Will thinks whoever made the seating chart likely didn’t know where to put him and Margot, because rather than being seated with the few other residents at the back of the banquet hall near the bar, they are instead escorted to a table at the very front of the banquet room right in front of the small stage, seated right next to Hannibal and Dr. Bloom, as well as Dr. Crawford, Chief of Medicine, and his wife Bella. When they arrive at the table, obligatory introductions are made, and Will is surprised to realize that Dr. Bloom is also an Alpha! He didn't notice before, likely because he made it a point to keep his distance from her. Will refuses to let his mind linger on any potential meaning he could derive from that tidbit of information. He absolutely refuses to allow any hope to take up residency in his heart, because even if Hannibal wasn’t with her, Will is still not a woman. His discomfort at the table grows, feeling like his presence makes it an obvious case of _ which of these is not like the other? _ He instantly realizes that all the men at the table are wearing tuxedos instead of regular suits - and Will’s suit is both old and cheap, so he feels like he stands out like a sore thumb. It’s not often he feels _ this _out of place, but despite the unsettling feeling, he does his best to make conversation when needed. 

Will’s already lackluster mood is further soured the second he sees Dr. Bloom rest her hand on Hannibal’s arm as they talk on the other side of the table. Margot must notice the shift in Will’s mood because she looks at him in concern, clearly trying to parse out what is wrong, and gently rubs his back in what’s clearly intended as a soothing gesture. Will appreciates the sentiment but finds it doesn’t help his mood at all. His mood worsens further when salt is rubbed in his proverbial wound as he hears Dr. Bloom call Hannibal by his first name! _ Fuck, I guess I’m not that special to him after all, _ Will thinks. He knows he’s being ridiculous, of course Dr. Bloom calls him his first name - who wouldn’t call their significant other by their first name? But that doesn’t mean Will wants to hear it. It was one of the few things his heart has held onto that Hannibal has specifically gifted to him (and very few others), and hearing Dr. Bloom use his first name so easily hurts, even though Will logically knows it shouldn’t. That’s the funny thing about pain, it doesn’t have to make sense to hurt you.

*

Alana Bloom is no idiot. She admits she was over the moon when Hannibal approached her a few weeks ago. For as long as she can remember she has had a crush on the attractive surgeon, and she knows she is not alone - lord half the women in the hospital _ and _a good portion of the men feel the same way! Being no coward, she made her interest known a few years back, and when it was politely not reciprocated, she was disappointed but not surprised. Even now - being his date to this Awards Dinner, being allowed to hang on his arm and kiss him - she can feel he is keeping her at a distance; in a way his disclaimer before they became involved really was superfluous to his actions, although she appreciates his honesty and directness, not wanting to lead her on. Since knowing Hannibal, she’s never seen him in a real relationship, which of course soothed her bruised ego at the time, but now as she sits next to said man it makes her wonder...especially when she sees the grimace - no nearly a snarl - pass over his handsome face. 

Alana follows the path of Hannibal’s gaze across the table and sees his young resident, Dr. Graham and his date Margot. Dr. Graham’s eyes are averted, and from her point of view it looks like his feathers are ruffled, although for what reason Alana can’t fathom; however she has concluded from the limited exposure she has had with the young Alpha doctor that he doesn’t seem like a particularly friendly fellow, so maybe he’s always like this? It appears Margot is trying to soothe him..._ she’s a lovely Omega, _ Alana thinks offhandedly. As Alana looks back and forth between the two men, it only takes her sharp mind a few seconds to parse out what she thinks she is seeing. _ Oh my gosh is Hannibal jealous?!? _ Is she really seeing what she thinks she’s seeing? The stoic, professional, never-interested-romantically-in-anyone, Dr. Hannibal Lecter...is interested in his young Alpha resident? Jealous of his date? Alana averts her eyes, unsure how long she has been staring, and takes a sip of her wine. 

At that moment a waiter comes by with a tray of champagne and everyone takes one in preparation for the Award Ceremony to formally begin. Jack Crawford makes his way up to the small stage and gives a brief speech about the state of the hospital, thanking everyone for their contributions, making toasts here and there to which everyone drinks their champagne, and Alana can feel the buzz slowly start to creep into her body. Eventually Dr. Crawford says, “And our final award of the night is a _ very special one! _ This year, one of _ our surgeons _ here at Johns Hopkins was recognized as one of America’s Top Surgeons for 2019 as determined by the Consumer Research Council of America. Everyone please give a big round of applause for our own esteemed Chief of Surgery, Dr. Hannibal Lecter! Please come up here doctor!”

Everyone claps as Hannibal stands, smiling and waving graciously which garners more applause and even a few whistles and catcalls, which of course generates some laughter too. Alana smiles and claps as she watches him gracefully make his way up to accept the award. A moment later, however, her attention is drawn again to Dr. Graham on the other side of the table. She nearly does a double take because surely that can’t be the same irritable sourpuss of a resident she saw moping there a minute ago, can it?!? The young Alpha is sat upright in his seat, body turned fully towards the stage, vigorously clapping and clearly beaming at Hannibal. His smile is wide (_he can smile?!? _ Alana thinks, surprised) and his blue eyes are sparkling behind his glasses, gaze never leaving Hannibal, clearly following him as he moves on the stage. Dr. Graham looks positively enamored and- _ Oh! _ Alana’s clapping pauses briefly as she tries to organize her thoughts. _ No...is it possible? Is it possible that this young doctor is also a member of the Dr. Lecter fan club? Maybe even has feelings for him? _ Or is the buzz of alcohol making her see things that aren’t there? 

Determined to figure out what is going on, Alana watches the young Alpha out of the corner of her eye as much as she dares, and she comes to the conclusion that _ yes, it is very possible. _ The young man looks nearly smitten, hanging on every word of Hannibal’s short but polite acceptance speech. Her gaze meets Margot’s accidentally and Alana almost turns away, feeling guilty at being caught staring; however she sees Margot also glance at Dr. Graham (who looks oblivious to her at the moment) and offers a small shrug in response, clearly also confused at her date’s behavior. Alana can’t say she blames her; if her date was looking at someone else like that, she would be incensed! It’s incredibly rude, especially the disregard for his date sitting beside him, and Alana finds she doesn’t care much for this Dr. Graham so far.

However when Hannibal makes his way back down to the table and takes his seat, Alana sees that grumpy version of Dr. Graham has returned and sees that Margot also looks perplexed at the mercurial moods of her date. They all listen politely as Dr. Crawford wraps up the ceremony. When it is concluded, and Jack Crawford is back at the table, the entire table takes turns congratulating Hannibal. When it’s Dr. Graham’s turn, Alana notices his congratulations to Hannibal are short and clipped, the bare minimum required to be professional - he offers a token eye contact, a brief congratulations, and a short handshake across the table. Alana notes Dr. Graham clearly lacks the enthusiasm of the other parties at the table, which is in stark contrast to the young doctor’s enthusiasm when Hannibal was on stage getting the award. _ What is going on? _

Alana catches Margot’s gaze again, and she can see Margot again looks confused by her date’s behavior, yet also resigned that this is apparently the reality of her situation for the time being. Alana smiles as she sees Margot subtly roll her eyes as she takes a swig of her wine - _oh she’s got spunk!_ _She deserves better than this scruffy crabapple next to her, _Alana thinks. Speaking of moody dates, Alana turns to hers and notices how Hannibal’s polite smile and easy charm seems to falter when faced with his young resident - his eyes downcast for the briefest of moments, and voice hardening slightly. To anyone else it probably wouldn't be noticeable but Alana has known Hannibal for years, even yearned for him from afar for a period of time, so she knows his behavior well and realizes this is so unlike him. _Why is he acting like this? Could he feel threatened by his resident? It’s not that uncommon for two Alphas to find it hard to work together...or is it something else?_

Alana is distracted from her wine-fueled thoughts when promptly dinner is served and beverages are topped off. The din of the room gets progressively louder as the alcohol flows, with most in attendance having a healthy buzz. Alana notices even Hannibal beside her, ever the professional, has a slight slur to his words which she reluctantly admits makes him even sexier. She finds the softening of his voice makes him seem more human, less detached, and she finds she likes it. A few minutes later, Margot rises elegantly from the table, excusing herself to the restroom, and Alana sees an opportunity and takes it, trusting her gut. “You know what? I’ll go to!” she says, seeing Margot pause to wait for her as she makes her way around the table, offering her a small smile in the process. As they walk to the restroom Alana notices Margot’s Omega scent and takes a deep breath - _mmm vanilla_ \- homey and comforting, _she smells delicious!_ _Yes Dr. Graham is definitely is not appreciating what a gem he has here, this girl deserves an Alpha who will treat her properly._

Once in the ladies room, they use the facilities and wash their hands. Alana watches as Margot pulls her lipstick out of her clutch and reapply it in the mirror, confidently smacking her lips together. As she does, Alana decides to break the ice, asking her “So, how are you enjoying your evening?” 

“How do you think?” Margot replies sarcastically as she turns away from the mirror and faces Alana, smile on her scarlet lips.

“I imagine similar to mine,” Alana says, equally sarcastic, which causes Margot to look at her questioningly. 

“Oh really? So your date is acting like a sulky child too?” Margot asks playfully.

Alana laughs at Margot’s description of Dr. Graham, it's eerily accurate. “Well, I concede he’s not _ as sulky _ as your date, but he’s definitely acting odd, especially around Dr. Graham. In fact, now that I think about it, Hannibal was fine until you both came over to the table…”

Margot tilts her head, clearly interested in the conversation, “That’s funny, now that you mention it, Will was fine before we got here...or as fine as he ever is…”

“I wonder what’s going on with them…” Alana says, pausing, not sure how best to bring up what could be a very touchy subject with someone who for all intents and purposes is a stranger - albeit an attractive stranger she feels a surprising kinship with. She decides to trust her gut and just say it, this girl seems like she has no illusions about what is going on. “Do you think there’s something going on between them?”

Alana watches as Margot puts her lipstick away, closing her clutch with a click, the hand holding the clutch coming to rest on her hip and for a moment Alana is afraid she’s either going to get slapped or chewed out, but surprisingly neither happen. Instead, Margot’s free hand surprisingly comes to rest on Alana’s shoulder as Margot looks her right in the eye and says, “Oh well I wouldn't be surprised!” Margot seems to freeze for a moment, clearly realizing that might be rude to say to someone that their date is very likely interested in someone else but seeing no adverse reaction from Alana she continues, words flowing out as if she’s had them bottled up for awhile, “I mean, Will won’t shut up about him! He’s obsessed! Among other things it’s why we broke up, his obsession.”

“Obsession?” Alana parrots back, finding it slightly hard to concentrate on the deluge of words the pretty Omega is bestowing upon her, especially with her warm hand still resting on her shoulder and her sweet vanilla scent clouding her mind. _ Fuck she smells good _ . “What do you mean?” she finally manages to say, realizing this is prime gossip and _ wait did she say they broke up?!? _

Here Margot pulls her hand back, much to Alana’s dismay (although it does clear her mind a little) and watches as Margot tucks a stray hair behind her ear, almost embarrassed at her outburst and maybe a little ashamed of putting down her...what ex-boyfriend? “Oh no please don’t misunderstand, he’s not creepy...just...you should hear him when he talks about Dr. Lecter...he just lights up like I've never seen him do before. So I think the fact that Dr. Lecter is with you is probably getting him down, especially since he’s single now.”

Alana takes a moment to absorb this new information. So she wasn’t that far off, it seems the young resident really does have a crush on Hannibal! She then says, “You know....it’s funny that Will,” the name sounds foreign on her tongue but she continues, “talks about Hannibal so much, because it’s like pulling teeth for me to get Hannibal to talk about Will at all. Every time I ask he clams up or gets upset. Something is obviously upsetting him about Will but I can’t figure it out...” She pauses, gathering her thoughts before Margot’s sweet scent prompts her to ask, “They’re both Alpha’s right?”

Alana sees Margot nod slowly, “Um, yes I guess. Will is an Alpha.”

“Does Will even like Alphas? Or men?” Alana asks, trying to make sense of the jumble of information she has obtained in her buzzed state. 

“I’m not sure,” Margot says, shaking her head. “We never really talked about our past relationships…” Alana must have a surprised look on her face because Margot adds, “Our relationship was...uh...well we kind of just stumbled into it and stayed there. I think we both knew deep down it wasn’t going to last…” Alana nods, finding she is more interested in learning about this beauty before her than these stupid men, but then Margot asks her, “Well does Dr. Lecter like men? You’re an Alpha so I assume that means he’s open to being with an Alpha…” Alana is pleased to see a slight blush rises to Margot’s cheeks when she mentions Alana is an Alpha; Alana finds that just delightful, thinking Margot is incredibly lovely when she blushes. She realizes though that Margot asked her a question and tries to find a response.

“Hannibal has been with men if that’s what you are asking, but as long as I’ve known him he’s never been in a romantic relationship with _ anyone ,_” Alana replies.

“So wait...you’re not with him uh...romantically?” Margot asks, clearly confused.

“Uh...no,” Alana says, hand unconsciously coming up to the back of her neck before bringing it back down. “I uh...got the same disclaimer as everyone else, just through his rut, which is now over obviously...so to be honest I’m surprised I haven’t been uh..._ dismissed _ yet…”

“And you’re okay with that?” Margot asks, concern coloring her tone, somewhere between anger and sadness and Alana is touched. 

“It’s not what I would typically want out of a relationship, no...but I agreed knowing his terms. I’ve admired him from afar for years, so it was nice to get to uh...peek behind the curtain...,” Alana says wryly.

“And how long have you known him?” Margot asks, curious and clearly still struggling to make sense of what she’s hearing.

Alana has to think for a second before responding, “Um...ten years? Yes, about ten years…”

Margot’s eyes widen in shock, hand falling from her hip. “He hasn’t been in a relationship in _ten years_?!?” she asks, somewhere between shocked and skeptical, so Alana tries her best to explain.

“Oh he’s been with many people during the time I’ve known him, but it’s always temporary, just for his ruts. He makes it very clear so there are no hurt feelings...or at least no surprises at hurt feelings.”

“Fuck,” Margot says, clearly still having trouble believing what she is hearing, and Alana smiles at the vulgarity - such a contrast from the sweet person speaking it. “That’s crazy…well...” Margot says, seeming to come so some sort of conclusion. Alana sees as Margot reaches in her clutch and pulls out a card and a pen, scribbling something on it. Margot hesitates for a millisecond, staring at it, before she turns and offers it to Alana. Alana takes the business card, looking it over. It reads _Margot Verger, Associate Hospital Administrator_ and has the hospital’s standard contact information - Alana herself has similar cards. _ Margot works at Johns Hopkins too?!? _Alana turns it over and sees Margot has handwritten what she presumes is her personal number. When she looks up again Margot tells her with a sly smile, “For when you are...dismissed…” she winks, “Feel free to give me a call.”

Alana smiles, still feeling the pleasant buzz from the champagne coursing through her veins. Yes her instinct has served her well tonight. “Thank you,” she says, almost bashfully, surprised; she’s so used to being dominant and in control, being an Alpha, that it’s a novel feeling and she finds she likes it. She tucks the card safely into her purse then takes a breath, reluctantly saying. “We should probably get back.” 

The alcohol making her more bold, Alana offers her arm to Margot and surprisingly Margot takes it, slight blush rising to her cheeks. As she escorts Margot back to their table, Alana basks in Margot’s comforting vanilla scent and her soft warm skin against her own. When they approach the table, Alana sees their pair of sad mopey men looking anywhere but at each other, Hannibal talking to Jack Crawford and Will talking to Bella; she and Margot share a weak smile of understanding, being in the same boat for the moment. When their presence is noticed, Alana sees both mens’ gaze land on their interlocked arms and she hangs on a moment longer before releasing Margot to go their separate ways to their seats. The rest of the dinner is much of the same with Will and Hannibal barely exchanging a word, and Margot catching her eye periodically, once even throwing in a wink which causes Alana to blush. 

Later when Hannibal is driving Alana home, she debates what, if any, of the new information she has to tell him. From what she has gleaned, it’s clear Will has some interest in Hannibal, but it’s unclear if it’s professional interest or something more? What’s also not clear is if Will would even date an Alpha male...not to mention the professional ethics of the situation...she can only imagine the scandal it would cause - Chief of Medicine dating his resident! And that they’re both Alpha males! As time goes on society is slowly getting better at accepting all types of love, but for whatever stupid reason sadly there still exists a stigma against two Alpha males being together, especially by older, more conservative people; they claim two Alpha males together is going against nature, as you’d have to suppress your natural instincts which can’t be healthy. Therefore the concept is shunned by many, although thankfully the metropolitan city of Baltimore is a little more accepting than the rural towns further out. 

As Alana reflects on what she’s learned, she realizes that truly the only hard fact she has is that Will is single. She nearly tells Hannibal this but hesitates, holding the information back. What good can come of Hannibal knowing this? They already are barely talking...and even if they are interested in each other, surely it would be better for them to wait until Will’s residency is over? If nothing else for Will’s sake, a scandal like this could really limit his future possibilities. And really, _ if they are interested in each other _ they need to learn to communicate! She’s not Will’s messenger! Frowning, she realizes she owes him nothing, especially considering how he’s treated her...however if her suspicions about his feelings are correct, she is prepared to cut him some slack. Alana is brought out of her mental debate by Hannibal’s voice.

“Did you have a good time tonight? It looked like you enjoyed talking to Margot,” Hannibal asks, and Alana notices his voice changes very subtly as he says Margot’s name, almost with concealed derision, and Alana doesn’t like it at all. Now Will she could understand, but sweet Margot has done nothing to earn that tone! 

“Oh yes, Margot was lovely. Your resident, however, wasn’t very talkative,” she replies, and as predicted, at the mention of Will, Hannibal clams up until they arrive in Alana’s driveway. As Hannibal turns off the engine, Alana has an inkling of what is going to happen before it happens, seeing Hannibal turn towards her.

“Alana, thank you for going with me tonight, and for being with me through my rut-” Here Alana cuts him off gently.

“But...let me guess, we should go our separate ways but remain friends and colleagues?” Alana watches as Hannibal’s eyes widen slightly, appearing surprised at her shrewd assessment of the situation. 

“Yes, eloquently put...and you are okay with that?” Hannibal’s soft tone causes her to look him right in the eyes; he really is a sweet man and she resists the tug of feelings for him, easier now with a fresh interest in her mind.

“Yes Hannibal, I am okay with that,” Alana says as she leans in and kisses him on the cheek before reaching for the door handle. “Drive safe, and I’ll see you at work. Goodnight.”

“Goodnight Alana.”

*

On the drive home, Margot debates how much to tell Will about what she’s learned. Should she tell him everything? She really cares about Will and only wants what’s best for him, and she honestly can’t figure out if telling him would help or hurt his situation. Will would probably be happy to hear Hannibal has been with men and that he might be single soon...but would Will really want to know that his idol - hell probably his crush, maybe even his love interest - doesn’t_ ever _ want to talk about him _ and _hasn’t been in a romantic relationship for at least ten years? The last thing she wants to do his hurt him, so she decides to keep the information to herself for now unless Will asks her directly - she won’t lie to him.

When they pull into the parking garage at Margot’s apartment, Will turns to her and says, “Thanks again for going with me to this. It would have been hell without you. I really owe you.” Margot offers a weak smile, looking at the sad broken man in front of her. Without thinking she takes his hand in hers and rubs it slightly, trying to offer comfort her inner Omega wants to provide even though this is no longer her Alpha. 

“You don’t owe me anything Will, I’d do anything for a friend,” she says genuinely and sees it gets a small smile out of Will. She watches as Will looked down at their hands and then she can almost see the moment he has a thought.

“You looked cozy with Dr. Bloom tonight,” he says, and it’s not really a question but Margot feels the need to respond anyway, a blush coloring her cheeks at the memory of giving her her number.

“Yes I really enjoyed her company...” Margot says, hesitating a second before deciding to offer Will one small insight. “I’m hoping to see more of her in the future...word has it she might be on the market soon,” she says with a small smile, watching for Will’s reaction which does not disappoint. The expressions on his face vacillate between surprise, happiness, and confusion, before he says,

“Oh really, that’s what _ ‘the word’ _ is” he teases her, air quotes evident in his tone, and she playfully snatches her hand back. “How do _ you _ know that?” he asks, lightly laughing at her.

“Oh _ Alana _ and I had a lovely conversation. She’s an excellent communicator, unlike _someone_ I know,” she says, intentionally emphasizing Alana’s first name which causes Will’s eyebrows to rise, before he registers the mild insult. But before he can reply she continues speaking, holding a hand out to halt his words. “Communication goes both ways Will. If you want to know something, you should ask,” she says, intentionally cryptic, figuring it’s true no matter how he interprets it; whether Will takes it as asking her _ or _ Hannibal himself, either way he can’t go wrong. Though for better or worse, Will doesn’t take the bait in that moment, but instead looks at her and says, 

“I think you two look great together,” he says genuinely and Margot smiles, blushing and looking down, realizing she feels the exact same way, and hoping she gets a call from the pretty doctor soon.

*

The days following the Awards Dinner are still fraught with tension between Will and Hannibal. Somehow ever since the dinner Will feels even more keyed up, finding it more and more difficult to keep his feelings in check. It was like seeing Alana touching Hannibal awakened something in him - a strong desire to erase her touch from his body, to replace it with his own. The feeling is so disorienting that for a moment Will thinks his rut might be coming on, but he knows he is not due for another couple weeks so it really is just his own inability to cope with his feelings. 

Margot’s words also continue to haunt him as well. He really should have asked her but was too chicken in the moment. _ What did she mean? _ If Alana will be ‘on the market soon’ then logically that means her and Hannibal would break up? Which, if true, would mean Hannibal would be available… Will wonders if they're having problems, and if so who is ending it? He wonders if it’s already over - how would he even ask Hannibal such a thing? No, he can’t. Because even if Hannibal was single, there’s still the question of if he would even be interested in a man, let alone crossing the professional boundary of attending physician and resident. Fuck, it would be more like the prince and the pauper - the image of Hannibal in a striking black tuxedo flashing in his mind, contrasted with his old cheap suit. Not to mention Hannibal's reputation as world renowned surgeon - would he really date another Alpha male? He's in the public eye and while many are accepting, many still aren't. No...as much as he wants to believe otherwise, the situation seems pretty hopeless so he needs to figure out how to just stay professional

*

When he returns to work, Hannibal finds he feels more lonely than he anticipated. He misses the easy banter he had with Will and can’t seem to figure out how to get it back, everything between them feels so unnecessarily strained. They still work well together - seamlessly as if they’ve been working together for years rather than weeks. And Will is still the model resident - asking appropriate questions and diving in to get hands-on experience without being prompted. But despite this, Hannibal feels held at a distance from Will and doesn’t like it at all. He wonders if Margot has something to do with it...maybe she made Will feel bad for how friendly he was before? Oh how Hannibal wishes she was out of the picture! But even if she was, what would he do? He is neither female nor an Omega, so there is no guarantee his advances would be welcome. Let alone the hospital policy they would be breaking. Truthfully Hannibal doesn’t give two shits about that policy, but he does have the intelligence to recognize the risk he would be putting them both in; he doesn’t want to jeopardize Will’s future...but he also wants to be part of Will’s future and it saddens him greatly when he thinks that there is a very real possibility he won’t be.

He is interrupted from his depressing musings by an urgent beeping from his pager. Before he can read it he hears the hospital operator paging him overhead, “Dr. Lecter to the ER stat, Dr. Lecter to the ER, stat.”

Hannibal looks over at Will - they had both been charting at the computer terminals in ICU. Will looks surprised but Hannibal can see he is already logging out and pocketing his stuff. Hannibal logs out too and together they briskly make their way to ER, which thankfully is right next to the ICU. The second they enter the ER, Hannibal is bombarded by staff pulling him this way and that, and multiple people trying to talk to him at once, seeing Will get jostled in the process but he stands his ground. A brief glance around shows no obvious medical emergency so he lets his irritation bleed into his tone as he uses his Alpha voice.

“Everyone, quiet! YOU!” he points at the charge nurse nearby who is one of the ones trying to tell him something. “Tell me what’s going on.” The clamor falls silent and all eyes turn to the charge nurse Lilian.

*

Will gets goosebumps. Fuck, that was both scary and amazing! He can admit to himself he was a bit overwhelmed as they entered the ER and is incredibly impressed at how quickly and efficiently Hannibal has gained control of the room and the situation. And he knows it’s inappropriate but he can’t help acknowledging only to himself that Hannibal’s Alpha voice was sexy as fuck. 

Will listens intently as Lilian (her name badge reads) informs them of the situation: “We have two trauma patients inbound by ambulance, due to arrive any moment now. Drunk driving accident. We’re told one male, the drink driver, estimated mid-forties, semi-alert but coughing up blood with visible trauma to the abdomen, and one female, estimated early fifties, unresponsive with visible head trauma. Dr. Budish asked for you to be paged right away for suspected emergency surgery.”

“Thank you Lilian,” Hannibal says cordially, and then Will is in awe again as he starts giving orders. “You and you,” he points to two other nurses, “prep ORs one and two.” Will observes Hannibal wait for them to acknowledge the task before moving on. “You, bring out the crash cart. You, prep tubes for immediate blood draw and stat processing, CBC, BMP, CK, and blood type and cross for both patients. You, call radiology and have them clear us a spot for a stat CT. And you, take me to Dr. Budish.” With everyone delegated their task, Will follows as the last nurse takes them to Dr. Budish who is waiting at the ambulance receiving area and as they walk Will can feel his heart start to race. Fuck, he forgot what working ER is like. He did an observational ER rotation and had forgotten until this exact moment the adrenaline that kicks in in emergency situations. He can feel his senses becoming more alert but finds he surprisingly also feels somewhat grounded, although if he’s honest with himself he suspects it is largely due to Hannibal’s calming presence; he instantly took the frantic energy in the room from a ten down to a two.

Before Will can think much further, he hears sirens approaching and his heart rate picks up again, seeing not only two ambulances but also a police car with flashing lights. _ Makes sense _ , Will realizes, _ drunk driver_. As the vehicles pull up, Hannibal turns to him for the first time since they entered into the ER and says, “Stay near me unless I tell you to do something.”

_Where else would I go? _ Will thinks, but instead says, “Okay.” Will suspects he wouldn’t likely stray from Hannibal’s side anyway but he supposes it's another way of Hannibal maintaining control of the room since in a few seconds it’s likely going to be a madhouse. Will’s prediction is proved to be correct as the sirens finally cease, having entered the hospital grounds, and Will steps out of the way as the first patient is unloaded. Hannibal and the other doctor start waking with the gurney and listening as the EMT gives report and Will does his best to keep up and take it all in.

_ This is the victim of the drunk driver. According to her drivers license she is fifty three...was hit on the driver’s side, T-boned, found slumped over the steering wheel unresponsive, pulse averaging 68-72, respirations averaging 12-13 breaths per minute, lungs clear to auscultation, BP 129/78, glucose 123, pupils are nearly non-reactive to light_…

When Will hears that last part alarm bells go off in his head, and by the hitch Hannibal’s step in front of him, he’s sure the older doctor had the same thought - intracranial pressure - this poor woman likely has a bleed in her brain, and with every second that goes by, the blood is putting pressure on her brain, causing more damage as time goes on. 

“Get her up to CT now, I want a stat CT of the head and then take her to OR 1, intubate her and prep her for surgery,” Hannibal orders in his Alpha voice and everyone around them jumps to comply._ It makes perfect sense, _ Will thinks. All they need to know is where the bleed is, and then they can open up the area to relieve the pressure and stop the bleed. “And page Dr. Sutcliffe!” Hannibal orders a nearby nurse and he scurries off towards the phone. _ Ah yes, neurologist and neurosurgeon, that makes sense too. _ Will is in awe of how calm Hannibal is under pressure and how quickly and logically he thinks, it's amazing. As the patient is whisked away, Hannibal turns and heads towards the other patient being wheeled in, and Will catches the tail end of the report.

..._comes in and out, has periods of alertness, oriented only to place, blood alcohol level on the scene was 0.13, has been coughing up bright red blood, estimated about 100mL blood loss on the ride over, abdomen swollen, tender and discolored, BP 97/69 and has been steadily declining, pulse 101, he’s been tachycardic for the past 2 minutes, slightly diaphoretic and pale_…

Will takes this all in and suspects this is a very different kind of emergency than the first patient. If he had to guess it sounds like this guy has internal bleeding...and maybe a punctured lung?

Dr. Budish comes around to their side of the gurney. “I want to send him to CT to check for internal bleeding,” he tells Hannibal. Will can tell that this doctor’s intentions are good but he doesn’t seem confident at all - the poor guy is covering for Dr. Dolarhyde - he doesn’t usually work ER and sounds a bit frazzled. 

“Let me check something first, that might not be necessary,” Hannibal says politely. The other doctor nods and steps back, clearly ceding care to Hannibal. Will watches, curious._ What will he do? How else can you check for internal bleeding without a CT? _

Hannibal turns to Will, looks him right in the eye, and says, “Get me an 18 gauge aspiration syringe.”

Will nods, then says “On it,” and turns, trying out Hannibal’s style of getting stuff done: “You,” he points to a pretty young nurse whose name tag reads Abigail, “I need a 18 gauge aspiration syringe right now, where are they?” 

The nurse snaps to attention and starts walking, throwing a “Here,” over her shoulder. She gets one out of a nearby drawer and hands it to him. Will takes it and rushes back over to Hannibal who is gloved up and is doing his physical assessment of the patient. Will sees police officers standing in the back of the room, observing from afar and tries to ignore them. Without thinking too much he puts his hand on Hannibal's shoulder to get his attention and when he turns Will presses the packaged syringe into Hannibal’s hand. The contact only lasts a millisecond but in that moment Will feels like they are almost one person, working towards a common goal, connected. He releases his hand from Hannibal’s muscular shoulder (_fuck, that white coat hides his body well! holy smokes!_). Will then watches as Hannibal swabs the patient's abdomen with an alcohol wipe, opens the syringe, and pushes the plunger all the way down. Hannibal then presses the needle into the patient’s abdomen, about an inch deep, before slowly pulling the plunger back and Will sees as bright red blood is aspirated out. Apparently that was what Hannibal was looking for because he sets it aside and starts giving orders, which Will sees is not a moment too soon as the patient blacks out, his lips looking blue.

“You!” he points to a nurse, “Start infusing two bags of O-negative blood, then call the lab to find out his type and cross results because he’ll probably need more. And you, intubate him and take him to OR 2. Now!” Will can hear the urgency in his Alpha voice and agrees 100%, this guy looks like death warmed over. 

In that moment there is a ruckus on the other side of the room and Will sees Dr. Sutcliffe briskly walking in. Hannibal turns to him, looks Will in the eyes and says, “Stay here with Dr. Budish, assist him with whatever he needs for this patient.” 

Will nods, then affirms, “Okay.” He mentally admits he feels a little nervous losing his paddle in this storm, feeling a little adrift. As much as he tries to hide his apprehension, something must show on his face because Hannibal clasps him on the shoulder and his hand is warm and grounding. 

“Will, look at me,” Hannibal says. Will looks up meeting his warm brown eyes, “You will do fine, I believe in you. Between you and me, you are more competent than Dr. Budish so don’t be afraid to take charge. Okay?” 

Will smiles, feeling Hannibal’s belief in him and nods, “Yes, okay,” he says, feeling more confident. With a pat to his shoulder Hannibal nods and walks away, and Will is left free floating for a second before he orients himself. _ Okay, help Dr. Budish in with internal bleeding drunk driver. Got it! _

Will walks back over to where he sees Abigail hooking up the blood transfusion and within moments the guy starts to stabilize. His BP is still low as fuck, heart rate still high, and he still looks diaphoretic but at least he’s not getting worse. In addition to the blood loss problem, Will realizes he’s also hypovolemic so he makes a decision. “You,” he points to a nurse, “Start an IV of normal saline on this side,” Will says, indicating the opposite arm and Dr. Budish looks at him in surprise. _ Fuck...oops, _ Will forgot he was there for a second. He wonders briefly if he should apologize but the doctor looks pleased. 

“Good idea, what did Dr. Lecter tell you?” Dr. Budish asks. Will hears the respect in his voice when he says Dr. Lecter’s name.

“He asked me to assist you with the care of this patient however I could,” Will replies. The doctor looks both relieved and disappointed, likely hoping for some more guidance than a resident. 

“Doctors, he’s ready to be taken to OR 2,” Abigail says, and Will sees the other nurse has just finished intubating him. 

“Take him up,” Will says. As the nurses start wheeling him towards the ORs, Will turns to Dr. Budish. “What can I do to help? I’m guessing we’ll have to do exploratory surgery to find the source of the bleeding and stop it. Unless you think he’s stable enough for a CT so then we don’t have to guess?” Will asks.

The doctor looks at him a moment, almost surprised, before he says, “No, no, we can’t wait for a CT. Do you have any surgical experience?” 

Will shakes his head as they follow the gurney down the hall, “Nothing like this, I’ve observed many surgeries in med school but I’ve only performed minor things like I and D, stitches, debridement, local excisions…” Dr. Budish nods, looking disappointed and a little scared.

“Well we’ll need all the help we can get so you will help me in there. Let’s go scrub in,” he says. “I hope Dr. Lecter comes back soon though, he’s more suited for surgeries like this - it’s why I paged him.”

As they scrub in, Will has another _ what the fuck _ moment. He has no idea what he’s doing but he’s here to help however he can so that’s what he’s going to do. Once they’re gowned up, he watches as Dr. Budish makes an incision and immediately blood starts erupting out, spilling down the side of the patient’s body, and saturating the gauzy material on the table. Will grabs the suction device from the surgical nurse and starts sucking it up as best he can, able to reach further than she can. Thankfully the surgical nurse gets another one going on the other side and and between the two of them finally they are all finally able to get a good look at the internal organs after Dr. Budish has finished opening up his abdominal cavity. 

“Here!” Will says, holding the suction device over what appears to be the main source of the bleeding to keep it visible. “Spleen?” Will asks, unsure because it’s in the right place for a spleen but it’s unrecognizable to him in its current state of damage. Dr. Budish looks over from where he was assessing something else further up. 

“Oh yes, the spleen’s been severely damaged. He’s also got a punctured lung from a broken rib. Let’s tackle the spleen first though,” Dr. Budish says.

At that moment the OR doors open and Dr. Lecter walks in, scrubbed up and ready. Will smiles behind his mask and relaxes a fraction, as he automatically starts reporting on the situation to him. “Bleeding from spleen and punctured lung,” Will says concisely. He sees Hannibal nod in understanding as the group of people part to let him through. Will watches as Hannibal briefly does his own assessment, gently moving the organs to look at all sides.

“Oh...that’s unfortunate. I was hoping we could do a splenorrhaphy but it’s too damaged, if we try to repair it I suspect he will continue to have internal bleeding. We will have to do a splenectomy. Nurse, scalpel?” Hannibal says, and just like that Will is captivated as he watches him work, noticing Dr. Budish stepping back. The rest of the surgery is a blur as Will watches, amazed at Hannibal’s skill - he makes it look so easy when Will is absolutely sure it is not. He stays nearby in case he needs to retrieve anything, but it seems Hannibal is relying mostly on the OR nurse (which makes sense since Will has no idea where the fuck anything is stored). The mangled mass of what used to be a functional spleen is set in a tray and whisked away as Will watches Hannibal carefully redirect and tie off the blood vessels. 

Once the spleen part is taken care of, Will turns to the nearest nurse (noting _ hey it’s Abigail again!) _ and tells her, “Get me a stat H and H now that the bleeding has stopped.” She nods and grabs the tubes, getting to work. As she does, Will thinks he sees Hannibal’s eyes crinkle above his mask but he isn’t sure. The machines show the patient’s blood pressure and heart rate appear to be stabilized and Will starts to feel a little calmer, like maybe they are past the worst of it.

“Dr. Graham,” Hannibal says, and Will comes over next to Hannibal. “I want you to do the sutures to close him up. Interrupted mattress stitch please.” 

Will swallows behind his mask, feeling all eyes in the room on him. Well, this _ is _ what he signed up for. “Yes Dr. Lecter,” he says as he quickly tries to recall everything he learned about mattress sutures...all he remembers is that they are much stronger than other types. Thank god they reviewed these at the orientation and he has a moment of embarrassment about how he callously dismissed that review when now it is saving him from what would undoubtedly be severe humiliation. He sees the surgical nurse counting all the supplies, making sure they are accounted for as Dr. Lecter folds back the abdominal wall and skin. Will takes a calming breath, _ well, here goes nothing… _

Will does his best, doing one mattress stitch at a time, trying to ignore everyone watching him. _ Fuck, don’t they have their own jobs to do? Whatever. _ He’s slower than he’d like and when he’s done they are not pretty at all, but the incision is closed and secure. He looks to Hannibal for guidance and Hannibal nods once before telling him, “I also want you to put in a chest tube for the punctured lung. Have you done that before?”

“No, just observation,” Will answers honestly.

“Well then we will do it together,” Hannibal says, and Will smiles behind his mask, liking the sound of _ together. _ However, as Hannibal comes to stand behind him, Will quickly realizes that _ together _ means Will will do all the work, but with guidance and supervision - it _ is _ the best way to learn after all, by doing it yourself. As instructed, Will palpates the area for the chest tube to be placed, mindful of the broken rib. Once satisfied, he takes a breath and asks for the scalpel, carefully making the incision. _ Oh god he just cut someone with a scalpel! _ He doesn’t have long to reflect on that surreal moment before he is instructed to stick his gloved finger inside the incision he just made. Truthfully he's not sure what he is feeling for, however Hannibal describes it to him accurately enough until he’s confident he has everything correct.

Hannibal insists on checking the incision himself just to be sure; as they change places, their gloved hands brush, and Will can’t help the slight twitch of his lips, enjoying their easy proximity despite the strange circumstance. Throughout the whole experience Will smells the pleasant scent of cloves from Hannibal’s proximity and realizes surprisingly that he finds comfort in it. In this moment he can’t remember why their relationship was strained, it’s just the two of them existing together with common purpose. Will then inserts the chest tube and finds it to be a more barbaric than he thought, feeling the plastic tube scrape and bump along the ribs. Once they verify it’s in place, he sutures it in and just like that it’s over and the patient is being wheeled back to ICU for monitoring.

Once the patient is wheeled out, Will asks, “How is the woman?” Will watches as Hannibal walks over to the sink, throwing away his mask, gown, and gloves in the process.

“She’s still in a coma but GCS improved from 3 to 6 after the emergency temporal craniotomy and electrocauterization of the bleeding site. I’m hopeful she will continue to improve over the next forty-eight hours.”

As they are drying their hands at the sink, Abigail comes up to Will and says “Doctor, H and H result came back, 7.6 and 23.1.” She is looking only at Will for a response, presumably because he was the one who gave her the order. Will looks to Hannibal, seeing him nod slightly, the message clear -_ go ahead _.

“Give him two more units of blood and then check H and H again. Thanks Abigail, you did great today,” Will says. Abigail smiles, clearly appreciative of the praise and feeling more free to speak because of it.

“Are you kidding? I should be thanking you two!” she says, gesturing at Will and Hannibal, “That was seriously the smoothest code I’ve ever ran in my entire life, you two really are the dream team! How long have you been working together?” she asks, curiosity evident in her voice. 

“Umm...” Will says, caught off guard, “A few weeks?” He can’t look at Hannibal in that moment, feeling embarrassed for some reason, yet Abigail’s words resonate with him, he really felt that way too - that they were...no _ are _ a dream team. Yes he agrees wholeheartedly. When he looks at Abigail again she looks shocked, like she’s waiting for it to be a joke, because of course they must have been working together for years! Will tries to formulate a response but Hannibal beats him to it, saying,

“Thank you Abigail. Yes I agree we did make a good team, didn’t we Dr. Graham?” Hannibal says and Will feels himself blush. 

“Um, yes, we did,” Will replies, seeing Abigail smiling conspiratorial at him, before leaving to take care of the blood transfusion.

*

As they walk back to Hannibal’s office together, Hannibal feels high on endorphins from a successful day’s work, and relieved at the lack of tension between himself and Will. It feels like they are finally getting back to normal (or whatever normal is for them), but he’s not going to think about that too closely right now. Hannibal finishes up his notes on the computer while Will makes all the follow up phone calls, ordering labs, meds, and tests for their patients. As they work together in the shared space, Hannibal reflects on Abigail’s words. _ They do really make a good team. _ Working with Will is certainly preferable to working without him. A novel feeling since he can’t recall ever wanting to work with someone, always preferring to work alone when possible. Another surprise out of Will Graham...

Once they have finished their tasks, they both pack up for the day. As they are standing to leave, Hannibal makes a decision and sets his stuff down, seeing a slightly confused frown flit across his pretty resident’s face. Hannibal turns to him, puts his left hand on the young Alpha’s shoulder and grips, enjoying the feel of the warm muscles underneath - the feeling is entirely pleasant, Will feels strong and vibrant with life energy. Hannibal holds out his right hand in a clear “handshake gesture” and it only takes Will a millisecond to understand before he’s sliding his hand into Hannibal’s. As they shake hands Hannibal absorbs all the sensory input - feelings his warm and smooth skin against his own, smelling the stronger scent of lily of the valley from being closer to the source, and seeing a slight smile gracing his pink lips. Hannibal does his best to control the warmth he feels spreading through him being so close to the young Alpha. He looks into Will’s tired but bright blue eyes and tells him sincerely, “You did well today Will, truly. Even experienced doctors have trouble with emergency trauma cases, let alone when there’s multiple patients. You should be really proud of yourself.” Hannibal watches as the young doctor blushes, eyes looking away briefly, before he looks back at Hannibal, their hands still joined.

“Thank you, that means a lot coming from you. I still can’t believe how you took control of the room like that...I don’t think I could have done it,” Will says and looks away again. Hannibal squeezes his hand to get his gaze back, wondering if there is a limit on how long you can hold your resident’s hand but he isn’t ready to let go yet, certainly not when this bright doctor before him is second guessing his potential.

“Will, look at me. _ You can_, and _ you will _ if you have to, I have no doubt. Some things come with time and experience, but I am confident you will do what needs to be done, regardless of the circumstances. I have total faith in you.” Will smiles and looks down again, clearly embarrassed by the praise and for some reason right now Hannibal really wants Will to understand, to see his potential the way Hannibal sees it so he squeezes his hand to get his attention once more. Once he has his gaze he says seriously, “Should I ever fall ill, I would trust no one more with my care than you.” As he says it Hannibal realizes he means it - he knows Will has a lot to learn still, but he has no doubt Will would seek out what he doesn't know - intelligence and common sense are things you can't teach and Hannibal knows Will has both of those in spades. Hannibal smiles wide, delighted as he sees the moment his words land, Will looking shocked but still blushing and smiling. 

“Wow...um...thank you...I certainly want to live up to your expectations of me…” he says.

“You already do Will.._.except _ in one area,” Hannibal says, tone playful, lightening the mood. Through their hands he can feel Will tense, likely bracing himself for whatever criticism is about to come, staring at him, waiting. Hannibal continues, saying, “Your sutures need work, practice over this weekend, please.” Hannibal pulls his hand back and claps Will on the shoulder twice before stepping back with a smile, seeing Will visibly exhale. Hannibal is sure the young doctor knows that suturing job was ugly, but he would be remiss as an attending if he didn’t point it out.

*

“Yes, I know, I’ll work on it,” Will says, still feeling the residual warmth from where Hannibal’s hand was on his shoulder. That’s the most physical contact they’ve had...ever...and it makes his head swim a little being so near him, trying to continue to live in the happy bubble of ignorance for a few moments longer - Will is sure there was a reason for the tension they had but he wants to forget it, wants to keep on this path they are on, whatever it is, wherever it is taking them.

That night, Will calls Beverly to tell her about his crazy day, figuring she’s the only one he knows who would actually _ want _ to hear it. And boy is he right, she sounds so excited, asking him for play by play details of _everything_. When Will finally gets to the end, he adds,

“Hannibal told me I need to practice my suturing - got any advice?”

“_Hannibal _told you? So you two are on a first name basis?” Beverly asks, surprised. Will mentally curses himself, he had been doing so well calling him Dr. Lecter but forgot, distracted by the pleasant memory of Hannibal telling him he did well, how he believes in him, how close they were…

“Um...yes...he insisted on it a few days in,” Will answers.

“Wow, he must really like you,” Beverly replies and Will blushes, thankful Beverly can’t see since they’re on the phone. Instead he tries to change the topic of conversation.

“Yeah I guess. So you’re the only other surgical resident I know - what can I do to get better at suturing?”

Beverly tells him she knows just the thing to help, and Will is surprised to find himself agreeing that Beverly can come to his apartment tomorrow with the “mystery supplies” that will supposedly help him improve his suturing. He spends the evening cleaning, realizing just how messy his apartment has become since he and Margot broke up, seeing as how no one else ever comes over. Pretending to see it through Beverly’s eyes is motivation enough to get things at least in a passable state.

The following day at one o’clock Beverly shows up at his door, two grocery bags in her hand. Will offers to take them and she hands him a heavy one, saying “Put those in the fridge.” Will walks the short distance to his small kitchen and laughs when he sees what’s inside - a six-pack of beer. He puts the beer away and sees Beverly has followed him into the kitchen and is holding out a frozen pizza, “Freezer.” He smiles and puts it in the freezer as requested. “I didn’t know how long this would take so I came prepared, I hope you don’t mind,” she says with a wink and Will laughs.

“No this is great, thanks,” he says honestly, curiously eyeing the other bag Beverly sets on the counter.

“Okay, I need two plates and a knife,” Beverly says. Will turns in the small space and gets the requested items, handing them over; however as he hands her the knife, he has a small worry and can’t help but ask,

“We’re not going to be practicing _ on each other_, are we?” He’s mostly joking but remembers Beverly’s swift kick to Price so he feels he isn’t totally unjustified in wondering.

“Ha ha, no, but don’t tempt me,” she says sarcastically, smiling as she points the knife at him. “Sit,” she says as she points the knife at the kitchen table. Will sits, feeling odd that he’s being ordered around in his own apartment. He then hears the bag rustling as Beverly gets out whatever her _ supplies _ are. The next thing Will knows he has a plate set in front of him, as well as one of the hospital’s standard suture packs containing tissue forceps, surgical scissors, needle holder, and a curved needle with suture thread. Before he can ask, an orange is set down on the plate in front of him and he laughs, unable to resist commenting.

“_This_ is your method for practicing?” Will asks, although he mentally admits it’s not a bad idea, they did this to practice back in medical school. 

“Don’t scoff yet Graham, _this_ is just the warm up,” she says and now Will is intrigued. _What more can there be?_ Well, he supposes he’s going to find out. 

“Okay, let’s do it,” he says. He watches as Beverly sits down, dropping a pair of gloves nearby him before she picks up his orange, slices a straight line into it, and sets it back down on his plate in front of him. 

“Okay, round one, easy. Give me continuous over and over sutures, let me see what I’m working with,” she instructs, getting out supplies for herself including another orange, giving it the same cut. Despite Will having a significant head start, Beverly finishes when he is a little more than halfway done. She comes around the table to watch him more closely. “Woah woah woah, stop! Stop! What did that orange ever do to you?” He stops, frowning, trying to assess his work objectively. True they’re not pretty but they are holding the orange rind together, they’re functional. “Lord, no wonder Dr. Lecter asked you to practice!” At the mention of Dr. Lecter, Will feels his cheeks heat slightly but before he can reply, Beverly has reached over him and is moving his hands into position. “Try again but start closer to the incision, yes _ there_, now straight up and down, no stop! Straight! Not at an angle! Do you know what straight is? Watch!” Will watches as the needle and orange are manhandled away from him and he is impressed, despite the awkward angle Beverly is standing at, her stitch comes out textbook perfect and he does indeed see that yes, she went in at an almost perfectly 90 degree angle and it did come out better than he had been doing.

“Okay, okay,_ straight in, not at an angle_, I get it, let me try again,” Will says. Beverly releases the tools for him to try again. His next stitch is marginally better and the one following better still.

“Good, that’s better,” Beverly says, walking back to her side of the table. Once he has finished and Will has gotten a lecture on tying suture knots - _ Didn’t you say you make fishing lures! You should be better at this!! _ \- Beverly adds another piece of fruit, this time a lemon and she cuts a curved incision and asks him to do interrupted over and over sutures, then horizontal and vertical mattress sutures. By the time the lemon looks like a football, Will is feeling slightly more confident. 

“This was a good idea, thank you,” Will says, feeling genuinely appreciative. 

“You’re welcome but don’t thank me yet,” she replies. At that Beverly gets out two bananas and now Will is told to practice Lembert and Cushing sutures _ and _to try to not bruise the banana. It’s easier said than done and his banana ends up mottled - more brown than yellow - but each time he finishes an incision he feels more confident in his ability than before. 

“Okay, young padawan, are you ready for your final challenge?” Beverly asks playfully. Truthfully Will is tired but he is motivated - he really wants to impress Hannibal the next time sutures are needed, so he smiles and plays along.

“Oh yes Jedi Master, ready I am,” he says in a horrible impression of Yoda which makes Beverly laugh as she gets something out of the bag and takes it to the sink. 

“That’s terrible, you should be ashamed,” she replies.

“Oh I am,” Will says with a smirk.

“You don’t look it,” she accuses as she walks back to the table and sets down a bunch of grapes, at which Will raises his eyebrows. Beverly plucks out three grapes and cuts various incisions into each one - one straight, one circle, and one curved. “Here you go, this is more similar to elderly skin, very thin and fragile so you have to be more gentle.” She cuts some for herself as well, eating a few in the process, and sits down to get to work.

Within a few minutes Will is releasing a semi-constant litany of “Fuck! Shit! Damn!” as his grape skin keeps tearing and Beverly has to keep replacing the grapes for him.

“Stop! No! Space them further apart, when they’re tight _ and _ close it tears, pick one or the other!” Beverly instructs, standing over him again, yet this time Will can’t seem to sustain the progress. “Good lord, Graham...umm...okay pretend you’re stitching up Dr. Lecter,” Beverly says, wiggling her eyebrows comically and smirking. Will freezes, feeling his cheeks heat at the implication and knowing Beverly is watching him seems to only make it worse. Before he can respond, he can feel Beverly winding up to tease him and braces himself. “Oh I’m sorry...I mean _ Hannibal _ ...pretend you’re stitching up _ Hannibal’s _ face, if you make a mistake it will scar his face forever, be _very careful_ Will,” she teases. Will curses his biology as he feels his blush deepen. However, to his surprise his stitches do improve when he thinks about it that way, and he successfully closes a grape without ripping the skin.

“Nice! Now we know you have the skill, you just needed the right motivation!” Beverly teases and Will drops his grape and tools on the plate, causing them to clatter somewhat loudly. 

“Okay, I think it’s time for a break...beer?” he asks, rising from his seat and walking to the fridge without waiting for an answer. When he glances back at Beverly he sees her looking at him with an assessing gaze, smirking, 

“Yes, hey put the pizza in too while you’re over there,” she says, sounding amused. Again Will has a surreal moment of being ordered around in his own apartment but does as requested - he is getting hungry, the constant smell of fruit reminding him of how much time has gone by. Once the pizza is in, he gets out two beers, twisting off the tops one he realizes they’re not pry off. He’s close to giving Beverly hell for bringing twist off beer but seeing as how it’s Blue Moon (which is great), he graciously says nothing and hands her one. “Thanks! To us, the best surgical residents here!” Beverly says, clinking her bottle with his. Will laughs but he supposes she is probably right based off the brief interactions he had with everyone at rounds that first day.

“To us,” he says, and takes a long sip. After he swallows, he asks, “So how’s your residency going? You got to hear all about mine last night but I haven’t really heard about yours.” Beverly starts talking, telling him all about her experiences, and as they drink more, the conversation flows smoothly, and Will finds himself actually having fun. Out of habit he finds himself holding back from commenting when something reminds him of Hannibal, having trained himself to refrain doing so from his conversations with Margot. Eventually the timer goes off for the pizza and he gets out out, grabbing them another beer each while they let it cool. Realizing the only surface available to eat at is covered with abused fruit, Will grabs a grocery bag and shoves everything on the table (except the scalpel) into it, including their empty bottles, earning an amused look from Beverly.

“Classy Graham, you really know how to treat a lady,” she teases.

“Do you want pizza or not?” Will counters, enjoying bantering with her - she’s like the annoying sister he never had.

“Hmm..” she makes a show of pretending to think and Will can tell she is a little buzzed at how exaggerated her motions are, “Do _ I _ want some of the pizza that _ I _ brought? Way to treat your guest!” she accuses playfully. Will hands her a slice before making a plate of his own and sits down opposite her, taking a bite of the pizza. Their conversation picks up where it left off before and the more Will drinks, the less he refrains from mentioning Hannibal. It seems like everything Beverly says reminds him of Hannibal, but he quickly realizes that unlike Margot, Beverly _ is _ genuinely interested in everything he has to say about Hannibal. He quickly untrains himself from holding back, happy to have someone to share with. He still finds himself holding back a little, but for the most part he allows himself to speak freely, happy that she appears to be interested. She even asks follow up questions here and there, wanting more detail, and for a brief embarrassing moment Will feels like they are having “girl talk.” 

With that realization, Will takes another drink of his beer to stop more words from tumbling out of his mouth that will likely be embarrassing later; he is sure his growing obsession must be glaringly obvious by now. As if reading his mind, Beverly stares at him as she takes another drink, seemingly contemplating her next words, which end up being, “You like him don’t you? Like _ really _ like him?” Her tone is gentler than Will expected and because of that it hits him that much harder. He’s never admitted it out loud, even to himself, but he supposes he does _really like _ Hannibal. He can feel his cheeks warming again and takes another swig of his beer, reflexively looking away out of embarrassment. He briefly considers denying it but what would be the point? He’s not a fucking teenager, Jesus Christ. He brings his eyes back to Beverly who is watching him intently, waiting.

“Yes,” Will says, a little softer than he intended, realizing it’s more emotional than he anticipated to admit it out loud. He tries again, a little firmer, “Yes I do…” He takes another drink of his beer, feeling like he must be as red as a tomato. Beverly smiles as she looks at him.

“Aw, Will…” she starts and Will almost want to stop her, her tone carries sympathy, implying what he suspects to be true, that fate is working against him - choosing for him the one person who would be least likely to reciprocate his feelings and pretty much the most inconvenient person for him to fall for. “But wait...you said he was an Alpha...and you’re an Alpha too right?” All of a sudden her tone changes, insanely curious. “How does that even work? Who would-” Will interrupts her, really not wanting to have that conversation for many reasons.

“Stop, stop! It’s an irrelevant question since _ nothing is going to happen_, but even if it did Alphas get together all the time, it’s no different than any other two people on this planet, Jesus fucking Christ. Don’t you need to leave soon?” he says, half-joking, half-irritated and 100% trying to change the subject. Surprisingly she takes the bait, sympathy still shining in her eyes and Will looks away, not wanting to see it.

“Yeah, I should get going, I’m meeting up with some friends at nine, we’re going downtown, probably clubbing. Hey you wanna come with? We could use some more testosterone in our group,” she says and Will smiles, appreciating the gesture but not interested in the slightest. He’s never enjoyed clubbing...or groups of people...or people at all really.

“Thanks but I’ll pass,” he replies.

“Suit yourself,” she says as she starts to pack up her stuff, “You have my number if you change your mind,” she says with a wink. Will follows her to the door and he stops her before she leaves. 

“Hey, seriously thanks for helping me,” he says and she smiles.

“You’re welcome! Us surgical residents gotta stick together! And for the record...I won’t tell anyone about your...uh._..interest _in Dr. Lecter,” she says sincerely.

“Thanks, have fun tonight,” he says, starting to feel embarrassed all over again.

“Thanks! Bye!” she says as she leaves. Will closes the door behind her, pleasantly buzzed enough to impede the thoughts that want to encroach on his consciousness. Instead he cleans up, putting the remaining pizza away, and settles in for a Friday night alone.

*

Hannibal is on call that weekend, and in the wee hours of Sunday morning he gets a page needing his services - aortic dissection. When he arrives at the OR he sees none other than Dr. Budish again. “Oh thank god, Dr. Lecter, we could really use you on this surgery…” Good lord is he always going to be doing this doctor’s work for him? Four hours later the surgery is complete and the patient is stable. As he and Dr. Budish in are washing up, Dr. Budish In turns to him and says, “You know I’m glad I got to see you today Dr. Lecter, we didn’t get a chance to talk after that crazy day the other day...” Hannibal mentally rolls his eyes, he’s tired and just wants to go home and enjoy the rest of his weekend but he is polite so he says, 

“Oh yes, that’s true.”

“You know your resident Dr. Graham is just wonderful by the way, I don’t know what we would have done without him...or what _I_ would have done without him that day. He’s really sharp, and the staff loved him as well, they’ve all been asking when he’ll be back...” Dr. Budish says. Hannibal finds himself smiling, more interested in the conversation now. He admits he was very curious how Will did in his absence. Apparently well if what Dr. Budish says is true. And the fact that this is unsolicited praise gives it even more weight in Hannibal’s mind. Hannibal finds himself feeling incredibly proud of Will. Despite the fact that he expected nothing less, it’s still entirely pleasant to hear it confirmed.

“Yes, he is a pleasure to work with, and I agree quite sharp, especially for being fresh out of school. I’m quite proud of him,” Hannibal says, surprised at himself. He wasn’t planning on saying the last sentence, it just sort of slipped out. What is happening to him? It seems like the more Will Graham insinuates himself into Hannibal’s life, the less control he has over his own. As Hannibal walks out of the hospital towards the parking garage, he realizes the effect Will Graham has on him is both terrifying and incredibly exciting. As he pulls out into traffic he smiles, realizing he can’t wait to see what tomorrow will bring.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥♥♥ Huge thanks to all who have read, left kudos, or comments!! *hugs* ♥♥♥ 
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
>   

> 
> **Chapter notes: **  
  
\- [Really helpful picture of different types of sutures](http://www.nclexquiz.com/blog/types-sutures-stitches-staples-medical/) \- who knew there were so many?!?  
  
\- Apparently practicing sutures on fruit is a real thing! Although I read that pigs feet or chicken breast works better (but I didn't want that mental imagery so I chose fruit for the story! 😉)  

> 
>   
**Cheat sheet to the medical terminology:**  
  
\- **Aortic dissection** \- a serious emergency when your aorta (which is one of the biggest blood vessels near the heart) tears. if it does tear you can bleed to death internally really quickly  
\- **Blood type and cross** \- testing to determined what types of blood you can receive safely  
\- **BMP** \- basic metabolic panel - a group of blood tests that check for metabolic things like glucose, electrolytes, and kidney function  
\- **BP** \- short for blood pressure  
\- **CBC** \- complete blood count - a group of blood tests used to check for anemia, infection, etc  
\- **CK** \- creatine kinase - a blood test that checks for that enzyme (CK) which if found in the blood can reflect muscle damage  
\- **clear to ascultation** \- phrase used when assessing the lungs, meaning the sound clear (good) when listening with a stethoscope  
\- **Craniotomy** \- surgical removal of part of the skull to expose the brain  
\- **CT** \- computerized tomography, a more detailed scan than an x-ray  
\- **debridement** \- removal of dead, infected, or damaged tissue from a wound  
\- **diaphoretic** \- sweating  
\- **electrocauterization** \- surgical procedure using electricity to heat tissue to (in this story) stop bleeding  
\- **EMT** \- emergency medical technician  
\- **ER** \- emergency room  
\- **GCS** \- glasgow coma scale - a way to assess someone in a coma, [here's](https://www.glasgowcomascale.org/downloads/GCS-Assessment-Aid-English.pdf?v=3&fbclid=IwAR0wN-sHeEZCdhsjiOloSgHoXcaY-pv6pGKrHwt3MypajJ4Q9zGALDIUbls) a good link if you want to read more  
\- **Glucose** \- a blood test checking the amount of sugar in your blood  
\- **Heart rate** \- speed of heart beating, normally measured in beats per minute  
\- **H/H or H and H** \- hemaglobin and hematocrit blood tests, test for anemia  
\- **hypovolemic** \- used in the story as patient not having enough blood volume  
\- **I/D or I and D** \- incision and drainage, minor surgical procedure to release pus from under the skin  
\- **ICU** \- intensive care unit, where the most medically unstable patients are  
\- **local excisions** \- surgical procedure to remove a small amount of body tissue, usually for skin leisons  
\- **needle holder** \- looks like a tiny scissors but works more like pliers to hold the suture needle  
\- **OR** \- operating room  
\- **Radiology** \- type of medical imaging like x-rays and CTs  
\- **Spleen** \- an organ in the body, like a recycling plant or filter for red blood cells  
\- **splenectomy** \- surgical removal of the spleen  
\- **splenorrhaphy** \- surgical repair of the spleen - apparently this is better than removing it toally since if you have spleen totally removed you are at higher risk of infection the rest of your life  
\- **Stat** \- medical way of saying "do it right now! it's time sensitive and very important"  
\- **sutures** \- pretty much the same as stitches as far as i can tell?  
\- **tachycardic** \- faster than normal heart rate, usually defined as >100 beats per minute  
\- **tissue forceps** \- looks like funny tweezers, designed to hold body tissue with minimal damage  



	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No one likes Chilton, brain surgery happens, and Will gets a surprise 😉

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like usual medical terminology used in the chapter is at the bottom of the fic but you don't need it to understand the core story of will/hannibal, but it is there if you want it ^_^
> 
> Also warning, if you didn't believe that this fic really is rated EXPLICIT..this chapter def is. Enjoy! 😉 
> 
> So this is the slowest burn I have ever tried to write...please trust that there is a plan they will get together soon, believe me I feel the tension too, consider it like foreplay...hopefully it will make the moment of them getting together that much sweeter
> 
> Also this was my first chapter I proofread after becoming aware of filter words ([this tumblr post](https://adreamthatcannotbreathe.tumblr.com/post/187828152848/hello-would-you-mind-doing-an-example-of-not)) hopefully it helped?  
  


Things between Will and Hannibal improve in the coming days, with both men feeling like their easy relationship is slowly returning. Consequently they share more conspiratorial smiles, and enjoy banter beyond what is required for work - however said banter notably lacks the flirtatious edge it had in the early days of their working relationship. And throughout it all, Will has continued to not sleep well, which is unsurprising considering he hasn’t slept well in _ years _ due to his nightmares. However, his poor sleep combined with the added academic strain from his residency, _ and _the emotional strain from recent events has not helped his mental fortitude; Will’s mind has been more prone to wandering lately, and he finds it increasingly difficult to reign his thoughts in…

One recurring thought Will has, is that he is insanely curious if Hannibal and Alana are still together or not; however every time he is on the brink of asking, he chickens out. More than once Will types out a text to Margot asking her, sure that she would know, but then he always erases it. As curious as Will is, there is a part of him doesn't want to know because then he will have to make a decision...to take action or not...and if so, what action would he take? He’s honestly not sure, hence the trepidation. Right now it's almost easier to let the universe work against him and he finds he is surprisingly okay with being blind just a little while longer, because truthfully he's enjoying what he and Hannibal have going right now. Of course Will still longs for much more with his attending - he still basks in his scent, his voice, his knowledge, and still always agrees when presented with the possibility of staying over his required hours if it means spending more time with Hannibal. They continue to eat lunch together every day and even though Will’s heart wants more, he is content to leave things as they are for just a little while longer, to put off what he is starting to feel is inevitable - either a rejection or...he doesn’t dare hope. His sleep deprived brain knows the odds are not in his favor. Hence, he concludes there really is no rush.

*

Hannibal is enjoying that normalcy is beginning to return to his working relationship with Will, although it’s also bittersweet because Will remains unavailable, still with Margot as far as he can tell, although thankfully Will never mentions her. However, what is becoming crystal clear in Hannibal’s mind is what _ he _ wants - and he wants Will Graham, in any capacity he can have him. So if professional is all he can have, he will relish that to its fullest potential. Currently they are both sat in Hannibal’s office organizing their schedule for the day when Hannibal's office phone rings.

“This is Dr. Lecter,” he answers, mildly surprised at the earliness of the call, it’s only five after eight.

“Hannibal! I'm glad I caught you, you're harder to catch than smoke around this hospital sometimes with all the pies you have your fingers in,” Dr. Sutcliffe says.

“Donald, yes you're fortunate I haven't left my office yet this morning,” Hannibal replies, as Will watches him with interest from across the desk.

“Can you come down to neurology right now? Sorry to put you on the spot but you'll want to see this. Do you have your resident with you?”

“See what? And yes he’s with me.” Hannibal’s face heats slightly at his wording, but ever the professional he soldiers on, outwardly unaffected.

“Bring him too, he'll never get a chance to see this ever again, it'll be good for him,” Dr. Sutcliffe replies.

“See _ what?” _ Hannibal asks again, slightly irritated at the vagueness.

“I’ve got a patient we’re going to publish a case study on, Crawford asked me to have you oversee it, plus your steady hands are welcome in my OR any time. I’ll give you the details when you get down here, trust me Hannibal.” He then continues in a hushed voice, “Oh fair warning Dr. Chilton is down here too.” Then he resumes regular speaking volume, saying, “I’ll wait for you.” And with that Dr. Suttclife hangs up.

Hannibal hangs up as well, a frown forming on his face. _ What on earth is this about? Dr. Sutcliffe is usually more direct than this, he sounds almost excited_. Will is looking at him curiously and out of reflex (and mild irritation) Hannibal shrugs, not feeling like the Chief of Surgery at the moment when he's left in the dark.

“Our presence is requested in neurology, apparently there is a unique case which Dr. Sutcliffe wants my assistance on. He assures me it will be a unique opportunity for you as well although I'll be damned why he couldn't tell me what it is.”

*

Will smiles at Hannibal’s curse; somehow it’s both cute and charming. The older doctor doesn’t curse often, so when he does it makes him seem more approachable, less intimidating, like he's letting go of his severe control. Will feels privileged that Hannibal trusts him enough to voice his frustration and to be frank with him in his assessment of people, trusting that Will will maintain discretion.

Together they make their way over to neurology. It’s a few floors up so they take the elevator, and when they get in they are the only two people inside. The second the doors shut Will realizes that they've never been alone in an elevator together until now. Instantly his nose is assaulted by Hannibal's warm and spicy scent of cloves, becoming more concentrated by the second in the small space. It’s intoxicating, and without his conscious permission Will’s brain envisions him shoving Hannibal into the elevator wall and kissing him roughly. His fantasy continues with Hannibal shoving him back equally hard with his Alpha strength, maybe even biting his lip as a warning for his roughness…

The elevator ding brings Will back to reality with a small gasp. Embarrassed at his runaway thoughts, he exits the elevator first, trying to clear his head by taking a breath of the sterile hospital air. _ God what's happening to him? _ He’s usually more able to control his thoughts at work! He’s not a teenager for fuck’s sake! Despite the thin material of his cheap scrub top and the hospital grade air conditioning, he feels overheated, sure his cheeks are pink. Trying to subtly take deep calming breaths, he falls into step next to Hannibal as they continue their walk to neurology.

*

As they enter the elevator, Hannibal realizes the enclosed space concentrates Will’s sweet lily of the valley scent. _ Lord the boy smells good, _ it’s like universe has decided to torture him with the perfect potential partner except that he is completely off limits, both professionally and personally. As he breathes in another lungful of the young Alpha’s delectable scent, Hannibal is reminded that if he were smart, he should take his scent as the warning that it is: lily of the valley is toxic, and while this boy may seem like a gift delivered from a god he doesn’t believe in, it is possible he could be Hannibal’s undoing. No one has ever gotten under his skin like this, permeating his every thought - and they aren’t even dating! Despite his heart knowing better, he repeats the words in his mind, willing himself to believe them: _ It’s better this way...It’s better this way... _

*

When they enter neurology, Dr. Sutcliffe comes into view first, standing next to another doctor that Will remembers from orientation - he can’t recall his name but he couldn’t forget that smarmy face. Psychiatrist? As they approach the two men, it’s clear their exchange is closer to to passive aggressive arguing than professional discourse.

“He’s still technically _ my _ patient.”

“He’s _ admitted _ and is _ pending surgery_, it makes no sense for you to remain primary physician on his case.”

“And why not? He was my patient first.”

“If all goes well with the surgery he likely won’t _ need _your services anymore. Do you honestly want me calling you for every single order?”

The men are so deep in debate that they don't notice Will and Hannibal’s arrival. As they wait, their gaze meets and Hannibal gives Will a raised eyebrow, clearly surprised at the situation as well. After a beat Hannibal clears his throat rather loudly and says, “Excuse me, gentlemen, I'm sorry to interrupt.” To Will, Hannibal sounds anything but sorry, causing him to suppress a smirk.

“Oh Dr. Lecter! Thank you for coming down so quickly!” Dr. Sutcliffe says, shaking his hand and looking relieved to be away from the angry psychiatrist. He then turns to Will, saying, “And you must be Dr. Lecter’s resident,” reaching out his hand.

Will returns the handshake saying “Yes, Dr. Graham.”

“Ah nice to meet you Dr. Graham, this is Dr. Frederick Chilton, psychiatrist,” Dr. Sutcliffe says, tone implying he thinks very little of either the field itself or Dr. Chilton, or both. 

Will steps forward, shaking hands with Dr. Chilton, it's the professional thing to do. “Nice to meet you Dr. Chilton.”

“You too Dr. Graham, you're quite the topic of conversation around the hospital, it’s nice to meet the face that goes with the name.” Will’s eyes narrow, his gut telling him the statement is not meant as a compliment.

“Is that so? Well right now I believe the topic of conversation is this patient case,” Will says, turning his attention back to the other two doctors.

*

Hannibal could kiss Will right now he’s so thankful. All he wants to know is why they are down here and Will, his amazing Alpha resident, not only politely and efficiently averted Chilton, but also redirected the conversation back to the topic at hand - with just one sentence! Hannibal himself can't manage that as often as he'd like. And he's all the more glad because if Chilton says anything bad about Will, Hannibal’s not sure what he will do. That little dig definitely did not go unnoticed by him. He may not have direct influence over psychiatry department, but he’s confident he can hurt Chilton should the situation require, whether it be professionally or physically.

“Yes Dr. Sutcliffe, what is this case you have?” Hannibal says, trying to get this conversation back on track.

“Oh yes, the patient is in the next room, he came in for his weekly psychiatry appointment today - god only knows how he managed to get here with such severe symptoms. He’s currently in four-point restraints because shortly after arriving he attacked Dr. Chilton. He has a brain tumor in the medial prefrontal cortex. I’m going to attempt to surgically remove it, which is what Dr. Crawford wants you to oversee, Dr Lecter. He wants Dr. Chilton and I to publish this as a case study-” Here Dr. Chilton interrupts, talking over Dr. Sutcliffe.

“This patient had been coming to psychiatry for aggression management and body identity dysphoria for the past six months because he identified as an animal instead of a human; essentially he felt like an animal trapped in a human’s body. However the past few weeks his belief evolved to the point where he began to adopt more animal-like behavior, culminating in him attacking me-” 

“When did it become evident he had a tumor?” Hannibal interjects, wanting to stem the flow of words from the psychiatrist, knowing from experience Chilton will babble if you let him. 

“We scanned him when he was admitted, just a few hours ago,” Dr. Sutcliffe says.

“Why wasn’t a medical cause of his psychosis ruled out sooner?” Will asks, and again Hannibal wishes he could kiss him (even more than he usually wants to). He wants to know the exact same thing but felt it unprofessional to question the judgement of his fellow physicians; however Will, resident that he is, is able to pass the question off without judgement under the guise of wanting to learn, although Hannibal thinks he hears a slight judgmental tone and suppresses a proud smile.

Predictably, Dr. Chilton bristles all the same, getting defensive. “Why?!? Because people have mental illness all the time without it having root in a medical cause. I can't very well give a CT of the brain to all my patients, that would be ridiculous, and a huge waste of resources, not to mention the radiation exposure! And of course…”

*

Will suppresses the urge to roll his eyes, instantly regretting asking. This man is an idiot, first class. Of course you don't screen _ everyone _ \- he's using _ reductio ad absurdum _ logical fallacy, and unsuccessfully at that. _ Surely someone thinking they are an animal is not typical and would warrant some sort of medical screening or workup? Especially if the symptoms were worsening_. Will is no psychiatrist but even he knows believing you are an animal is not a typical presentation of mental illness. And now he has his answer - it wasn't done sooner because Dr. Chilton is an idiot. Now he just has to figure out how to politely get him to stop taking, hopefully without having to apologize, because if he did it wouldn't be sincere in the slightest.

As Dr. Chilton continues to ramble at Will, Hannibal and Dr. Sutcliffe relocate to the nurses station nearby. Will wishes he could go over there too rather than waiting for an opportunity to get out of this one-sided idiotic conversation. A moment later he happens to catch Hannibal's eye, and he must look desperate because the older doctor does a double take, expression amused for a millisecond before he says, “Dr. Graham, please come over here.”

Will grasps the opportunity like the life saver that it is, interrupting Dr. Chilton, “I’m sorry Dr. Chilton, excuse me,” as he books it over to the nurses station. 

*

Hannibal has observed that the more time he and Will spend around each other, the better they get at unspoken communication. And right now Will’s expression is all but screaming at him to save him. Even if he wanted to, Hannibal couldn't resist that imploring gaze from those beautiful ocean blue eyes; his instinct is to give Will whatever he wants, if it’s within his ability - and he’s certainly earned it based on his handling of Dr. Chilton earlier. 

*

When Will approaches the nurses station, Dr. Sutcliffe and Hannibal are seated at the computer. Will comes up behind them as Dr. Sutcliffe pointing at a CT of the brain on the screen with the tip of his pen, circling the area showing the tumor. In an attempt to get a better look, Will leans on the back on Hannibal’s chair, looking at the screen over the heads of the two doctors. _ Fuck, that is a big tumor. _ Will’s fingertips are mere centimeters away from Hannibal's back, so close he can feel the heat emanating off of the older Alpha. He’s also close enough to smell his scent, and just like in the elevator earlier it’s making it hard for Will to think. To his embarrassment Will feels himself getting aroused again - what is going on with him today? He tries his best to push the thoughts from his mind but he can’t help imagining swiveling the chair around, straddling Hannibal’s lap, kissing him, grinding against him, mouthing at his scent glands, rubbing against him until neither one of their scents are individually recognizable..._fuck!_ Will’s pants tighten as his blood begins to be redirected at his salacious thoughts, and he reflexively steps back, despite the fact that Dr. Sutcliffe has now moved on to a different CT image. He needs to calm himself! 

From his new vantage point Will sees Dr. Chilton has joined them, standing off to the side of Dr. Sutcliffe. Chilton looks resentful, of what Will’s not sure, but he’s not going to make the same mistake of asking him anything he doesn't absolutely have to - although he's almost tempted as it would surely be un-arousing. However, at that moment the other doctors seem to have finished looking at the images and are getting up, it sounds like they are going to meet with the patient. When Hannibal’s gaze seeks him out and finds him several feet back from the computer, clearly at distance unable to see the screen, he looks surprised. Hannibal shoots him a brief questioning look which Will really can't respond to other than a slight shrug to his shoulders; he tries to keep his body angled away from the older doctor, just in case. Just seeing Hannibal’s face now, gorgeous even in the harsh fluorescent lighting of the nurses station, causes his cheeks to warm as his fantasies flood back into his mind.

*

Will is acting peculiar, Hannibal knows him well enough now to be able to detect the difference, and yet frustratingly he can't pinpoint exactly what the issue is. _He doesn't look upset...maybe uncomfortable? Why would Will feel uncomfortable here? Maybe from Dr. Chilton?_ _That would be understandable, yet Will seems to be paying him no mind. Hmm...the shrug he offers isn't helpful either. Confounding young man!_ Hannibal sincerely wishes he could read his thoughts. He’s not used to craving knowledge and understanding of another person, no one has ever captivated him like Will Graham has. As they walk to the patient's room, Hannibal notices Will keeps a distance between himself and everyone- odd because they usually walk side by side. He doesn't like it.

*

The distance from Hannibal seems to be keeping his arousal from getting worse so Will tries to discreetly maintain as much space as he can. His agenda is helped by the distraction of entering their patient’s room, where Randall Tier is indeed in four-point restraints. As they walk towards him, his narrowed eyes track their progress, assessing all of them before his gaze specifically follows Hannibal. _ Maybe he is thinking like an animal, _ Will muses, _ following the strongest Alpha in the room_. When they’re about five feet from the bed, Randall arches up dramatically with a snarl, spittle flying out of his mouth, causing them to freeze where they stand.

“We can sedate him-” Dr. Sutcliffe starts, but Hannibal holds out a hand to halt his words and it works, the other doctor falling silent. Amusingly it reminds Will of how dogs are trained, and he allows his mouth to quirk up in a brief smile, imagining Hannibal training the doctors to sit on command.

“Randall?” Hannibal says gently. The patient doesn't respond other than to continue watching him intently. “Randall, I’m Dr. Hannibal Lecter, do you know where you are?” When Hannibal takes a step closer, Randall bucks up against the restraints again, letting loose another snarl.

“He’s been aphasic since mid-session today - right before he attacked me - we were concerned he had had a stroke,” Dr. Chilton says warily, looking entirely uncomfortable and a smidgen afraid.

“When is the surgery?” Hannibal asks, taking them back a bit from Randall which appears to calm him down.

“As soon as you are available, ideally as soon as possible. We have everything ready,” Dr. Sutcliffe says.

*

They end up scheduling the surgery for that afternoon, not wanting to unnecessarily postpone it, especially considering the rapid progression of Randall’s symptoms, all concerned that the tumor may start pressing on areas that further impair him or cause permanent damage. Even now, they are unclear how much of a recovery he will make - recovery from brain surgery isn’t an exact science. 

Hannibal offers Will a choice - he can either be in the OR with him, or he can watch the surgery from viewing area. There is no doubt that Will would see more from the viewing area, as that is what it is designed for. On a surgery like this there won’t be much he would be able to see or assist with in the OR, which is why Hannibal gives him the choice in the first place, despite preferring Will near him at all times. 

*

Will is very tempted to watch from viewing area as it serves his current goal perfectly - which is maintaining his distance from Hannibal. He doesn’t like it, but he can’t deny it really seems to help him manage his unexpectedly strong arousal today - _ really what is going on with him today? _ However, when Dr. Chilton joins Drs. Crawford and Gideon in the viewing area, Will elects for the OR. He could handle being trapped in a room with Crawford and Gideon, but Chilton? _ Ugh. _ No, he’s had his daily fill of that man already. He concedes he may not get the best view of the actual procedure this way, but he's not learning neurosurgery anyway - that’s its own specialty. 

*

Hannibal is glad that Will is electing to stay near him, but also surprised considering the distance he’s been keeping and his peculiar behavior this morning. It soothes Hannibal’s bruised ego because if his resident would rather hang out with Chilton than himself he would be quite hurt. 

*

Dr. Abel Gideon, former Chief of Surgery and current Residency Director, was initially intrigued when Dr. Crawford called him, requesting he oversee and consult on the surgery to be documented in a published case study. The case truly does sound unique, and it will be nice to see his name published again, the first feather in his cap since stepping down from being Chief of Surgery. He stands next to Drs. Crawford and Chilton and they watch as the patient is wheeled in and the doctors scrub in. As the doctors walk over to the patient, he hears Dr. Crawford and Dr. Chilton talking about Hannibal’s resident, Dr. Graham. _ No doubt Chilton is stirring the pot, drama queen that he is... _

“Yes I got to meet him this morning. He’s a unique cocktail of hubris and aptitude that make him a highly skilled resident. However in my brief interaction I couldn’t help but notice he’s quite evasive-”

“He’s not here to be analyzed Dr. Chilton,” Crawford interjects. Gideon appreciates Crawford’s defense of his resident. He may not know Dr. Graham well but he’s undoubtedly sharper than Chilton.

“Perhaps he should be,” Chilton says slightly under his breath, which causes Gideon to frown, the implication being that his best resident is not mentally sound. He is about to insert himself into the conversation when Crawford beats him to it, dismissing Chilton’s remark as a joke it most certainly wasn’t intended as.

“Well I for one am thankful Dr. Lecter has finally found a resident! I thought that might have been the end of his mentorship with the last one...and he’s far too smart not to pass on the knowledge and skills he has. No amount of prodding from me was getting anywhere the past few years so I had given up hope. I don’t know much about Dr. Graham but I’m proud of him, if he’s good enough for Dr. Lecter, he's good in my book,” Crawford says as they watch the surgery begin. Dr. Sutcliffe is the only one actually doing the surgery, but Dr. Lecter is acting as his secondary. Gideon can't help but notice the way Dr. Graham hovers at Hannibal’s side makes him almost seem like an extension of Hannibal himself. After a beat Crawford continues, gesturing at the doctors below, “Plus, I mean look at how well they work together! To be honest I’m surprised, seeing as how they’re both Alphas. Personally I've always found it hard to work closely with other Alpha males, too much ego and not enough compromise.”

At that Chilton starts drabbling on about Alpha relationships but Gideon tunes them both out, watching the two men he knows independently of each other, realizing this is his first time seeing them work together. He's known Hannibal for years, and as he watches the surgery he notices how often Hannibal looks at Dr. Graham...and how often he smiles at the younger doctor. As he reflects on what he is witnessing, he realizes he's never seen Hannibal smile that much...ever! At least not sincerely. 

His attention shifts to the younger doctor, continuing his reflections. And then there’s Will Graham...he’s certainly a stand out resident, although he admits he was surprised when he changed to surgical. In questioning the boy he only wanted to make sure it was what _ he _ really wanted, he knows first hand how persuasive Hannibal can be, the memory of stepping down from being Chief of Surgery flashes irritatingly in his mind. Plus, any dramatic change to one’s career path made in the span of twenty-four hours surely should be questioned by a good Residency Director. But as he watches Dr. Graham now he looks incredibly comfortable and unmistakably happy. Measures happier than the grumpy, abrasive resident he recalls from orientation. The way they move around each other is uncanny, almost as if Dr. Graham is able to anticipate Hannibal’s needs wordlessly, working together like a finely oiled machine, and quite frankly it’s mesmerizing to watch. In fact in watching them work he is reminded of the graceful synchronicity of his favorite figure skating couple (who also happen to be married to each other), Ekaterina Gordeeva and Sergei Grinkov, and for just the briefest of moments he can’t help but imagine Dr. Graham and Hannibal as a couple. His first instinct is to scoff - _two Alpha males! That’s a disaster waiting to happen._ And all the more unlikely that a world-renowned, well respected surgeon like Hannibal would ever sully his reputation (and break hospital policy) just to date a resident. However, the more he looks at them he can’t help but see the possibility..._but no…no... _

Gideon is brought out of his musings by Crawford asking him something, obviously with the goal of getting Chilton to stop talking, still babbling about how two Alpha males statistically make the worst couples - too much conflict, neither willing to compromise. Despite his lack of respect for Chilton, Gideon can’t deny that in his experience, that _ is exactly _what he has witnessed...and with that thought he dismisses the notion of Dr. Graham and Hannibal together romantically - _it's preposterous!_ In fact he’s surprised he thought of it in the first place.

*

After surgery is successfully completed, Will and Hannibal walk back to Hannibal’s office to get their stuff, planning to meet Dr. Sutcliffe at a restaurant nearby. All agreed they needed to unwind after their long day of high profile surgery, scrutiny, and Chilton’s irritating presence. Will continues to keep a physical distance from Hannibal, which seems to help keep his body under control. Pleased he found a temporary solution to the problem of his unusually strong libido today, he feels a bit more relaxed and looks forward to the outing, realizing this will be his first time spending time with Hannibal away from the hospital.

Once they are in Hannibal’s office, the older doctor asks him, “So, what did you take away from today’s experience?” He says it with a smirk and Will decides to take a chance, really wanting them to get back to the easy closeness they had before their relationship got strained.

“Honestly?” he replies with a raised eyebrow. That gets Hannibal's attention, causing him to turn his full attention to Will. Hannibal is looking at him with a curious scrutiny that Will secretly loves - he loves being able to surprise the older man who, so far, seems to know almost everything.

“Yes, honestly,” Hannibal replies with a smile. Will pauses a moment, choosing his words carefully.

“My takeaways from today are...to leave brain surgery to the experts...and that Chilton is an idiot.” Will only has to wait a millisecond to see if he went to far (he didn’t) as it generates a real laugh out of Hannibal. Will smiles, glad he took the risk. However the sound reminds him of the last time he heard Hannibal laugh (at the Awards Dinner) and tries to not let his brain go down that road. Things are different now, and for all he knows Hannibal and Alana are broken up...at least he hopes they are, but still can't quite bring himself to ask.

“I can't say I disagree with your assessment, _ Dr. Graham_,” Hannibal replies, tone playful. To Will it _ almost _ feels like they are flirting, especially with Hannibal’s unnecessary but intentional use of his professional title.

They walk out of the hospital together much like they usually do, with the two exceptions that Will continues to keep more distance between them than usual, and that rather than parting ways at the parking garage, they continue to walk out of the hospital together. Following Hannibal out through the sliding doors at the front and then down the street is a little surreal for Will, especially since they're walking the exact route he takes home to his apartment, and he tries very hard to not let his overactive imagination take over. It gets easier when they pass his turn, instead heading towards Penny Black, a fancier restaurant than Will would ever go to on his limited budget, but he's heard it has a great bar. Plus, no matter the cost he will never turn down an opportunity to spend more time with Hannibal, especially outside of work.

As they walk together, Will’s excitement grows, realizing not only will he get to hang out with Hannibal outside of the hospital, but that he’s going to be seeing him in an environment where he is not well known, treated like any other person, rather than the revere he gets in the hospital. When they enter the restaurant the hostess looks up at them, and for the briefest of moments Will’s treacherous imagination envisions seeing them through her eyes, and can almost believe they look like they are on a date (he pointedly ignores the fact that no one wears medical scrubs on a date). Hannibal explains to her they are meeting someone there, and shortly after they are taken to a table in the bar area where Dr. Sutcliffe is already waiting for them. 

Since Dr. Sutcliffe is seated in the middle of one side of the booth, Will slides into the opposite side, both happy and wary when Hannibal slides in next to him. Within seconds Hannibal’s delicious scent creeps into his nostrils, thankfully modulated slightly by the ambient smells of the restaurant. As he basks in the scent and proximity, he concedes that at least he’s sitting down - he leans forward on the table as a precaution in case his dick gets any ideas, remembering the near miss earlier in the day. The waitress arrives and when Dr. Sutcliffe (_no no my boy, you can call me Donald when we’re outside the hospital, can I call you Will? _ ) orders a gin and tonic and Hannibal orders a glass of cabernet sauvignon, Will follows suit ordering a whiskey and coke. Together they drink and talk about the case, which rapidly devolves into bitching and griping about Chilton. The whole endeavor is not as uncomfortable as Will thought as Sutcliffe...no _ Donald _ seems to have a brain in his head and shares their dislike of Chilton.

“That’s one of the main reasons I suggested we come here! I didn’t want _ any _ chance of running into him in the hospital cafeteria! God I'm going to have to see so much of him writing that damn case study! Ughhhhhhh!” Donald dramatically drops his face into his hands, causing Will to laugh easily. He can tell they’re all getting tipsy, each on their second or third drink. “Hannibal _ please_, help me! Hey you could write it with us! Crawford wants your name on it too!” he says, pointing an accusing finger at Hannibal across the table.

Will is surprised at the lack of reaction he gets hearing Donald call Hannibal by his first name. It could be the alcohol, but he supposes he doesn't see him as a romantic interest for Hannibal so it's irrelevant what he calls him. Either way he’s in good spirits, sitting next to Hannibal, enjoying the relaxed proximity, his warmth, his scent..._ oh fuck_. As if summoned by his thoughts, Will feels the telltale signs of arousal again. A flush creeps up his body that has nothing to do with the alcohol, and he’s suddenly very thankful that he’s sitting down. All of a sudden it hits him like a ton of bricks, when he finally understands what is happening. Fuck how could he not realize this earlier?!? He concedes his mental processes have been more scattered lately due to his poor sleep, and his focus has been 100% on his residency.

Mentally kicking himself, Will pulls out his phone, taking a few tries to open the calendar app as his dexterity affected by alcohol. And there it is - the notification for _ tomorrow_, which is now technically only hours away. His rut is due. _ Fuck _ he needs to leave. _ Shit _ that means he won't be in tomorrow either...or the next day. His drunk mind is spinning trying to figure out what to do. Should he tell Hannibal now? Or just leave and call him tomorrow? _ Fuck no, _ he can’t picture calling him while his rut is in full force, that would be too embarrassing. Text him? _ Oh god, _ the thought of writing it out where it would be forever stored in Hannibal’s phone? _ No no no, _he’d better just tell him now...but in front of Sutcliffe? He's a doctor too, it really shouldn't matter, it’s natural...and yet Will would really prefer him not to know. 

With every minute that passes it’s harder for Will to think, the combination of alcohol and the rut hormones clouding his mind. _Think Will think! _ Decision made, he presses his palm to Hannibal's shoulder to get his attention, unable to resist leaving it there against his warm solid presence, Will’s own body beginning to crave contact with another body. His action causes Hannibal to turn towards him and the expression on his face nearly takes Will’s breath away. Hannibal is smiling at him, genuine and carefree, looking like he is just so incredibly happy to see Will next to him. The look radiates pure, unadulterated affection and he wonders if he is seeing what he thinks he's seeing? Or is it the alcohol? Or his rut? _ Fuck, focus Will! _

Trying to avoid breathing in Hannibal’s intoxicating scent, Will leans forward as much as he dares, speaking close to Hannibal’s ear, having to raise his voice slightly over the din of the restaurant. “I’ve got to leave now,” he says as he holds up his phone for Hannibal to see, screen open to the calendar app showing where it clearly says “Rut” on tomorrow's date, “...and I probably won't be in until Monday.” Hannibal’s eyes widen slightly before meeting Will’s in understanding. Will thinks he sees him swallow but he isn’t sure, it’s getting harder and harder to think. Through the haze of hormones he knows this is a little embarrassing, but it helps that Hannibal’s an Alpha too. 

“Yes of course, that's fine,” Hannibal replies, words lightly slurred, presumably due to the alcohol. With the message delivered, Will reluctantly removes his hand from Hannibal’s shoulder. Immediately Hannibal scoots out of the booth to let Will get out. Once out, Will has a brief moment of clarity looking down at the two older doctors at the table, realizing he forgot about the bill. Thankfully, even drunk, Hannibal seems to understand him well enough to intuit the issue, heading him off before he can ask. “Don't worry about it Will. Just go.” Normally Will would follow the polite social protocol of insisting, but he is rapidly losing control of his faculties. He’s starting to feel hot all over and reflexively holds his jacket in front of him in case the beginnings of his erection are visible - Hannibal staring intently at him with a slight flush to his own cheeks isn't helping, if anything Will feels like it's making it worse. He needs to leave. 

“Thanks, I owe you. Good night,” Will manages to say, giving a half-hearted wave before he books it out of the restaurant. Once outside he nearly runs the short distance to his apartment, continuing to mentally berate himself along the way. How could he have forgotten his rut was coming? _ Stupid! _ He vows to put the reminder for a few days in advance next time. This never really mattered when he was a student, he always could get away with missing class, but now that he is working with Dr. Lecter, he owes him transparency - he’s made a professional commitment after all. 

The journey home is a blur as Will’s mind gets more and more clouded. About halfway home he begins to feel overheated and like his clothes are making him itchy. The second he’s in the door he starts undressing, finding a small amount of relief as each piece is shed. However, once nude his skin continues to itch in a different way, now craving contact with another body. _ Fuck _ he forgot what its like to go through a rut alone, he got so used to having Margot with him. He flops onto his bed, laying on his back, his cock already hard and straining upward, aching to be touched. He takes himself in hand and strokes himself, his hand gliding obscenely easily after just one stroke because so much precome has leaked from the tip. He lets out a moan at the relief it brings, before another wave of arousal descends on him, making it hard to think about anything except fucking into another body, his biological imperative making itself known. 

As he continues to stroke his cock, he feels like he’s losing the relief he felt a moment ago, _ it’s not enough_. Following his instinct, he flips over onto his stomach, propping himself up on his elbow. He reaches down to grasp his aching cock again, hand still slick with precome. Bracing himself on one arm, he imagines his hand against the muscled back of a body below him rather than the bedspread. And he imagines himself thrusting into said body, rather than his hand. 

Will’s eyes slip shut in pleasure, his vivid imagination automatically populating a very specific body below him, and he doesn’t have the mental fortitude to resist. Instead he embraces the fantasy and lets it play out in his mind, visualizing Hannibal below him. He imagines himself braced against Hannibal's muscled back, gripping his shoulder (didn’t he just touch his shoulder earlier tonight?! _ Oh god, _ his fingertips remember, the same fingertips now gripping his cock _ fuck!_). His hips speed up, thrusting into the tight channel made by his hand, imagining it’s Hannibal he’s fucking and that visual nearly tips him over the edge because he can scarcely contain how appealing the image is. Strong Alpha male Hannibal - the smartest man Will knows, and the person he respects the most in the world - bent over for him, letting Will fuck him however he wants, however he needs, rough or tender. And Will could be rough, Hannibal is not breakable. If anything Will knows Hannibal could probably break _ him_, he’s obviously the stronger of the two of them. He could take whatever Will could dish out. With his previous lovers Will has always felt the need to hold back - especially with Omegas - their nature innately makes you want to treat them carefully. Yet part of Will desires to be able to let loose, to be himself, to not need to worry about his partner, to not have to hold back the part of himself that yearns to fuck hard, to bite, to claim, to claw and knot and _ oh fuck_…

Will’s hips speed up, his cock fucking the tight channel of his hand faster. His knot has swollen at the base of his cock, bumping against his fingers every time he thrusts in, creating a delicious teasing of pressure against it. The only sounds in the quiet room are his panting breaths and rather obscene squelchy sounds, pace of which increases in tandem with the snap of his hips. Sweat beads on his skin, rivulets tickling him as they drip down his back. In his mind his fantasy continues, as he imagines knotting an Alpha male, specifically knotting Hannibal. The thought causes Will to groan in anticipation. He knows Alpha males are not biologically designed for that purpose, but it’s no secret that anyone can take a knot with the right preparation. Just the thought of knotting Hannibal, of locking their bodies together, spending his come inside of the older doctor is enough to send Will over the edge. He thrusts a few more times before his hips still as he grips tightly around his knot, moaning “Oh fuck! Hannibal! Oh god...” His release shoots out across his bedspread, steam after stream, as he continues to grip his knot tightly, just like a body would, milking himself. He’s unable to hold back the moans of pleasure, imagining Hannibal below him, all around him. 

As he continues to ride the waves of orgasm, Will is surprised at the strong desire he has to bite, to claim, something that he doesn’t typically experience. Without consciously deciding to do so, he slumps forward onto the bed, shivering a little at the feeling his cooling sticky release on the bedspread touching his abdomen but otherwise paying it no mind, lost in his fantasy. In his mind he is still knotted to Hannibal’s body below him, and he imagines himself leaning forward, his own chest pressed intimately against Hannibal’s muscular back below him. He imagines himself nosing at the juncture where his neck meets his shoulder, licking the sweat there, sure Hannibal would taste as incredible as he smells. Out of instinct and guided by his fantasy, Will licks his tongue out, tasting the sweat of his own hand which has now ceased to support him at all. 

In his fantasy-addled mind, he imagines biting Hannibal, claiming him as his own, leaving a mark on him for all to see, despite the fact that Alphas don't usually do that to other Alphas. _ All the better _ Will thinks, he wants to be Hannibal’s exception, the only one he will ever want, ever need. He wants everyone to who looks at the older doctor to know he is not available. With that possessive thought he instinctively bites down on the skin in front of him (his hand), imagining it’s Hannibal’s throat, feeling another jet of come shoot out at the satisfaction it brings. He imagines tasting Hannibal's skin, his teeth tearing through the flesh of his neck, deep enough to scar, tasting his blood. He wants to taste all of him - _ fuck - _ Will is hit with another wave of orgasm as he sucks on the flesh in his mouth, spilling out a few more times before he fully collapses. He loosens his grip around his cock and turns his cheek against the bedspread, breathing hard, trying to catch his breath. As reality starts to encroach back onto him, he notices a dull ache radiating from his hand. 

An indeterminate amount of time later Will peeks one eye open, seeing a smear of blood on his hand. _ Fuck. _ He’ll have to treat that but he honestly can’t move right now, high on endorphins from orgasm. However, as his breathing becomes more normal he starts to feel equal parts embarrassed and lonely. _ Fuck! _ He just fantasized about mating with his older Alpha male attending physician! How is he ever going to face him on Monday? _ Oh god_...and why? Why is the only person Will wants the only person he shouldn’t have? And probably can’t have? The throbbing in his hand starts to worsen and he can feel the tickling tightening feeling of his come starting to dry against his skin, so he forces himself up, knowing he needs to take care of his hand before he is lost to his rut once more.

Will makes his way to the bathroom where he cleans and assesses his hand, noting his mind is clearer now, both from his rut and the alcohol - in fact he feels nearly sober. Thankfully stitches are not needed, instead wrapping it in a bandage. He then wipes himself down with a wet washcloth and drinks some water. As he looks at himself in the mirror, Will does a double take - he looks absolutely wild! Curly brown hair stuck up at all angles, eyes bright and wide, cheeks flushed...but most notably he has a bright red smear of blood starting at his lips and continuing onto his cheek. Initially he wants to be disgusted by the sight, however he quickly realizes he doesn’t mind it one bit - in fact he thinks he looks powerful. There's something instinctively dominant about it. In a way it’s the closest physical representation of how he feels during his ruts - strong, feral, wild - like he wants to fight almost as much as he wants to fuck. To shove and be shoved, to pull and push, to have an equal partner. Deciding he likes it and that he answers to no one at the moment, he walks out of the bathroom with the blood still on his face. Part of him knows he’s being ridiculous since he can’t even see himself, but he can't bring himself to care. He has the wherewithal to pull the soiled bedspread off the bed, eat a granola bar, and grab a box of tissues before he feels the cloud of rut descend on him again. 

*

Up until the moment Will left, Hannibal can’t recall an evening he has enjoyed more recently. It is incredibly pleasing him to be out in public with Will at his side. Combine that with the lovely atmosphere and decent company and he is a happy camper. The alcohol lowers his inhibitions and as the evening progresses he finds it harder and harder to remember why he can’t have this with Will. Why he can’t ask him out on a date like this...there was a reason wasn’t there? _ Oh yes, Margot. Ugh. _

After Will leaves, Hannibal honestly doesn’t remember much of the rest of the evening with Sutcliffe. His mouth runs on autopilot, providing words when they are needed, but his mind is elsewhere, frozen and rebooting on an endless loop after his lovely young resident laid his warm palm on his shoulder and directed him to read one word on his phone - just three small letters on his calendar app, but it was enough to short circuit his mind. Will’s rut is due tomorrow, and it’s already nine o’clock now, meaning it will be _ tomorrow _ in three hours, and as a doctor he knows biology is never so exact. And then the beautiful young doctor excused himself with a lovely pink flush to his cheeks. His sweet scent of lily of the valley still burns in Hannibal's nostrils from when he passed by him. He can all too easily imagine the arousal beginning to course through Will, and can almost believe it is seeping into his own body just by proximity and shared desire. And oh does he desire. 

His young Alpha resident is likely at home now, still tipsy from the alcohol, probably moreso than Hannibal is at the moment since his resident was drinking whiskey, and- Hannibal’s mind comes to a screeching halt, refusing to acknowledge what he knows is likely true - Will probably called Margot the second he was out of the restaurant. Of course, what does every Alpha male in a rut want? Their Omega. Hannibal holds back a snarl at the thought. _ He _wants to be the one to help the his resident through his rut! He can see it now - he would take Will back to Hannibal's own home, take care of him, lavish him with attention, give him everything he needs, whether it be rough or gentle. He yearns to know what the young Alpha prefers. But deep down he almost doesn't want to know, because as far as he has seen, young Will seems to prefer Omega females, two things Hannibal is most certainly not. Oh why is the universe torturing him like this?

The next few days at work Hannibal is driven to distraction - Will’s absence is acutely felt, and every time he thinks of him, he can't help but wonder what Will is doing in that moment. Sleeping blissfully after a spectacular orgasm, covered in a sheen of sweat, sheet draped lightly over his warm skin? Or in the throes of ecstasy, pounding into his partner - Hannibal now refuses to give her a name, at least in his own jealous imaginings. She’s just an irritating mass of flesh.

When Hannibal gets home the second evening after work, he can't seem to relax, emotions all tangled up - lonely, bittersweet unrequited longing, and days of pent up sexual energy building inside of him - all the while missing Will, wishing he could be with Will. He has a glass of wine, then two, then ends up finishing the bottle, something he virtually never does, just trying to get a handle on his wayward emotions. 

Hannibal goes to bed early that night and somewhat unsurprisingly is unable to sleep, his mind still consumed with his unavailable resident. It's becoming an unhealthy obsession but he can’t help himself. In his inebriated state, Hannibal allows his thoughts to flow freely, imagining a different outcome of that evening two nights ago, instead that when Will left the restaurant, Hannibal left with him. The logical part of his brain screams about Margot - no, the _irritating mass of flesh_ \- and he shushes it by changing his fantasy, instead envisioning pulling Will into the men's room at the restaurant. He imagines pulling them both into a stall, locking the door, and then ravishing the boy, or letting himself be ravished. He would allow Will to pin him to the bathroom stall, something he would allow no one else - no one else could drive him to such desperate and unhygienic measures. 

In his fantasy he imagines himself undoing the drawstring on Will's scrub pants and shoving them down, sure he would be able to feel the hard outline of him, and needing to see his Alpha cock with his own eyes. Once freed, Hannibal envisions himself dropping to his knees, (again something he would never do in a public bathroom for anyone else) and would suck Will down, giving him all the pleasure he could. Maybe he would even have to palm himself through his tailored suit pants just to take the edge off his own arousal. As if spurred by his thought, his hand automatically travels down below the bedclothes to grasp his aching cock, already leaking at the tip from his vivid imaginings. 

Enjoying his fantasy, now augmented with the feeling in reality, Hannibal brings his other hand to his mouth, sucking on his three middle fingers, imagining he’s sucking Will’s cock, surrounded by his sweet scent. In his tipsy mind Will’s ocean blue eyes are staring down at him in lust and adoration, his hands holding his head in place, gripping his hair, his cheeks flushed just as they were at the table. He imagines Will starting to lose control, thrusting into his mouth, feeling his knot swelling at the base of his cock, and he mimics the motions automatically in his mouth with his own hand, feeling like he's starting to lose control himself. His other hand continues to fly over his cock, gripping tighter, feeling his own knot swelling at the base. He’s so close, and he imagines Will curling in on himself, trying to be quiet but letting out a moan as he comes down Hannibal's throat gasping _ “Uhh Hannibal!” _ Imagining Will’s voice saying his name in the throes of ecstasy undoes Hannibal in real life and he spills over his hand, gripping his knot tightly, riding the waves of pleasure crashing over him.

When he finally comes back to himself, Hannibal retrieves both of his hands, each wet with a different bodily fluid, and feeling a bit embarrassed at how out of control he got, thinking _ oh god, what has Will Graham done to me? _

*

As Will gets ready for his residency Monday morning, he can't help feeling nervous. He literally just spent his entire rut fantasizing about his attending physician. Logically he knows there is no way Hannibal will know this - he’s not telepathic _ thank god _ \- but Will still can't imagine how he will be able to look Hannibal in the eye and not blush furiously when he's imagined...well, he’s not going to relive the specifics now. Deciding to bite the bullet, he strolls into the hospital with purpose and heads straight up to Hannibal’s office, wanting to get the moment over with. When he enters, he sees Hannibal sat at his desk, looking even more gorgeous than his memory recalled.

“Ah good morning Will,” Hannibal says somewhat stiffly. 

Will offers a “Good morning,” as he sets his stuff down, feeling incredibly awkward. He hopes Hannibal puts his demeanor down to recovering from his rut versus Will’s fantasy material of said rut. 

*

Hannibal’s breath catches when he sees Will in the doorway - looking far more composed than he did last time he saw him - and Hannibal tries not to think about _ why _ or _ how _ he got that way (Margot). Unfortunately, he must not fully succeed at blocking the thoughts because he feels some of the strain creeping back into their relationship. Irritated both at his inability to control his thoughts when it comes to Will Graham and the renewed feeling of tension, he automatically starts thinking of ways to get them back on track. Maybe they just need to reset their baseline with routine, _yes, that sounds like a fine plan_. _Move on and put all that awkwardness behind them._ Hannibal hopes they can get back to the easy closeness they had that evening last week. It was truly the most fun he has had in recent past and now that he’s had a taste of Will Graham outside the hospital he’s not ready to let the possibility slip away. So he forces himself to pretend as if everything is normal, saying, “If you're ready, we have an appendectomy at ten o’clock.” 

“Uh yeah I’m ready,” Will replies, and a few minutes later they walk down to the ORs together, more or less like usual.

The moment they walk in, the charge nurse looks up and sets the phone back in the cradle, standing to greet them. “Dr. Lecter! I’m so sorry I was just trying to reach you, the procedure was cancelled. The patient was transferred to county since it was a non-emergency procedure.” She then holds her hand at the side of her mouth, hiding it from the staff as she mouths the words, _ No insurance_, before continuing to say, “I’m so sorry you had to make the trek over here for nothing.” 

“It’s alright, thank you Margerie,” Hannibal says politely, eyes scanning over her name badge. Relief floods her face as she smiles and heads back to the nurses station._ Well, that is unfortunate. _ Hannibal tries to not take his irritation out on the nurse, she's just the messenger after all, and there’s nothing for it now. The assigned doctor _ should _ have called him - his eidetic memory recalls it’s Dr. Doemling, and he is notoriously lazy. _ Well damn_, now what can he and Will do? Hannibal had budgeted the entire morning for this procedure. He supposes they could go back to his office and work on the stack of paperwork they have, but Hannibal dislikes that idea, fearing more of the strained awkward feeling from when Will arrived only a short time ago. No, they need to be active, not stagnant. After a moment of thought he happens upon an idea - the research lab is near here! He's been meaning to show it to Will, and now is as good a time as any!

“Well, seeing as how we’re near the research lab, how would you like to see where we conduct our research?” Hannibal asks. His resident smiles radiantly back at him, his genuine interest percolating through the awkwardness.

“Oh yeah that'd be great!” Will replies. Decision made, together they walk the short distance to the research lab. When they arrive, Hannibal gets out his key and unlocks it, turning on the lights as he enters. Since they don't have any current research projects going on, as they are still waiting for IRB approval, the room is kept locked. Once inside, Hannibal watches, amused, as Will takes a lap around the space, looking at all the equipment. Hannibal is happy not only at Will’s interest and unashamed curiosity, but also at his Alpha presence - how he owns the space he is in, entirely comfortable, despite it being the first time he has been here. Will stops in front of the EKG equipment, and after looking at it closely, eyes narrowing, he turns towards him.

“What king of EKG is this? I’ve don’t recognize this lead placement,” he says. Hannibal walks over to stand next to him. 

“It uses a Lewis lead, a specialized lead to better visualize atrial flutter by highlighting the wave of ventricular depolarization. We have the standard twelve lead system as well,” he replies. 

“Oh that's interesting, I’ve never seen this before,” Will says.

After a pause, Hannibal asks “Would you like to see it in action?” Childlike glee shows on Will’s face and Hannibal finds himself smiling, warmed that he can make Will this happy, and hopeful that they are already moving away from this morning’s awkwardness.

“Oh yes that would be amazing!” Will says, agreeing quickly.

“Alright, sit here,” Hannibal instructs with a smile, patting the medical bench next to the machine. 

*

Will automatically moves to sit as instructed but his brain goes into overdrive as he realizes what he has agreed to. Of course he wants to see this unique EKG in use, but what he failed to remember is that EKGs only work when attached to a _ naked chest of a real person_. And since they are the only two people here, that means one of them will have to take off their shirt. And Will doesn’t know how to use this EKG, so of course he is the subject. _ Fuck fuck fuck. _ He’s going to have to sit half naked in front of the man he spent his entire rut fantasizing to? This sounds like a recipe for disaster.

After Hannibal turns the instrument on and calibrates it, he then turns to Will, saying “Take off your shirt please.” The words are delivered 100% professionally but despite this a shiver passes over Will and he is incredibly thankful Hannibal has his back to him at the moment. Hearing Hannibal order him to take his shirt off has him jumping to comply, trying to intentionally slow his motions so as not to appear too eager, even as his mind screams at him that this is a bad idea, that he should back out now. 

Like most other days, Will is wearing scrubs rather than the dress shirt, slacks and white coat like Hannibal. As he works his scrub top off over his head, holding onto the pocket so the contents don’t spill, he has the absurd thought that Hannibal would have a distinct advantage if they ever played strip poker. Quickly realizing that mental image is not helping his current situation, he tries to refocus, balling up his scrub top and setting on the bench next to him. The cold air of the room hardens his nipples and he takes a breath as another shiver passes through him, taking in the reality that he is sitting half naked next to his gorgeous Alpha attending physician. The concept of “playing doctor” floats through his mind and he viciously tamps it down, feeling like his brain is betraying him today. Last week he could blame his wayward thoughts and impulses on his rut hormones - however right now he has no excuse other than a lack of self-control when it comes to the gorgeous older doctor next to him, probably made worse by his poor sleep. 

When Hannibal turns back to him, Will suddenly can no longer feel the cold, instead feeling too hot all over. _ Jesus Christ this was definitely a bad idea_. Being naked from the waist up near Hannibal, who Will has essentially been masturbating to for the past two days, is not a good idea. His skin prickles all over, both embarrassment and arousal causing him to blush, and he is sure his face and chest are pink. 

“I’m going to put the leads on you now. And unlike our friend in the cath lab, I promise I will put them on correctly,” Hannibal says, tone starting professional but ending more playfully. Hearing Hannibal joke helps Will relax a little. He lets out a shaky laugh which helps ground him a bit. Soon ten different sticky leads are placed over his chest, sides, and back, with Hannibal explaining how they differ from a standard EKG. As Hannibal works, the only time he actually touches Will is when he places his left hand on Will’s shoulder, holding him in place as his right hand attaches the leads. Something about it feels intimate and it takes Will a moment to realize that that Hannibal chose not to wear gloves! That’s certainly not recommended infection control policy, it's more how you’d treat a loved one, it’s intimate. Will can’t deny the feel of Hannibal’s warm hand against his bare shoulder brings back his own fantasies. As if Hannibal’s hand is imbuing him with heat, Will feels his temperature continues to rise, his warm blood being redirected south. Concerned, he shifts a little, trying to hide the beginnings of an erection, made worse as Hannibal gets closer to him, occasionally leaning against his legs in order to reach far enough to attach the leads on his back. Will’s instinct is to spread his legs but he resists, trying to sit as still as possible until finally all the leads are placed, _ thank god. _

“Okay ready?” Hannibal asks. Will nods, not trusting his voice at the moment, and hearing Hannibal's silky voice is certainly not helping. _ Fuck this was a bad idea. _ Now that Hannibal’s attention is no longer distracted by placing the leads, Will gets more and more nervous under the older Alpha’s increased scrutiny. Hannibal turns the machine on and instantly his heart rhythm is visibly recorded on the strip of paper scrolling out of the machine while also storing the info digitally. Hannibal does a once over on him before looking at the print out, then looking back at him again, a question and some concern in his eyes.

“Do you feel alright Will? Your heart rate is quite high...” Hannibal asks, tone completely professional. Will’s blush intensifies and he tries to take some calming breaths, which backfires stupendously as each inhale is filled with Hannibal's spicy clove scent, only fueling his arousal even more. Now Hannibal is assessing him with a doctor’s gaze and no doubt notices the flush across his face and chest... and his sweat - _ god it’s hot in here! _ \- and his hunched posture. Will knows how smart Hannibal is first hand, and while he normally loves being the center of his attention, right now fear that his true feelings will be seen trumps that. 

Hannibal steps into his personal space and puts his hand on Will’s forehead, pushing his curls back a little in the process. With effort Will holds back a groan because _ oh god _ this small touch filled with concern feels so good. Trying to hide his reaction and his erection stresses even him more, creating an awful feedback loop. As a result the EKG beeps quicker and quicker, reflecting his heart rate spiking at the touch. He feels on display, unable to hide, the object of Hannibal’s intense focus, and unfortunately his cock can’t tell that the focus is professional.

Hannibal removes his hand with one more concerned look before he turns to the printout once more and Will uses that moment to take a deep calming breath, the air now less saturated with Hannibal's scent, allowing him to finally respond to Hannibal’s question. “Yes I’m fine...maybe I’m just remembering my last EKG experience…?” He knows it a lame excuse but its the best he can come up with in the moment.

*

Hannibal frowns, _ what is going on? Is Will sick? _ He feels warm but not feverish, a little sweaty despite the air conditioned room. He's obviously lying and Hannibal doesn't like that at all. Perhaps he's embarrassed about having to remove his shirt? He certainly has no reason to be, in fact Hannibal has been sneaking glances and Will’s lean muscled upper body on display is positively delightful - he looks both lithe and strong, brimming with hidden power. A very fine specimen of an Alpha male. But lacking any other theories, Hannibal decides it’s best to end this encounter on the chance that Will is actually embarrassed.

“Yes, that’s possible,” Hannibal agrees, knowing it's bullshit but willing to play along. “In that case we can terminate the test now, you can take off the leads.” Will jumps at the opportunity to do so, so maybe his guess wasn’t too far off? He hears a rustle of fabric and sees out of the corner of his eye Will uncrumpling his scrub top and putting it back on. As he does, Hannibal discreetly pockets the printout of Will’s heart rate, admittedly curious to take a closer look at it later.

As Will redresses, unfortunately hiding his lovely body back under that cheap boxy scrub top, Hannibal glances at the time, trying to figure out what they can do until lunch to avoid going back to the office. The most obvious solution is for Will to learn how to use the equipment here. If Will is eventually going to help with research it makes sense for him to learn this...and they certainly have the time. And maybe it will help him get over whatever has him rattled, bring back the control and confidence he entered the room with. Hannibal gives him a once over - _he does look better now - he no longer a sheen of sweat, and his flush is minimized._ Course of action decided, he says,

“You know Will, eventually I would like you to assist me with research once our next study is approved, so I want you to learn how to operate the equipment here. How do you feel about turning the tables, giving it a try?” Hannibal asks gently, still wary of Will’s odd behavior, but he’s not going to shirk his responsibility as attending physician. He _ could _ order Will to do it, but he would rather him be on board with the idea. His resident looks back at him almost uncomprehendingly for a moment before he responds.

*

After a few more deep breaths, Will feels calmer, erection now successfully willed away, _ thank god._ _ How fucking embarrassing. _ Now he’s left feeling kind of foolish and embarrassed at his freak out, and to be honest he’s a little irritated at his body, feeling like it betrayed him. He could write off his behavior previously as pre-rut, but this he has no excuse for other than lack of self-control with all things related to his captivating attending physician. Good god and there is now proof hat Hannibal’s proximity and touch make his heart race stored in that blasted machine! For the briefest instant he imagines having an Office Space moment, smashing the EKG machine to pieces in a field with a baseball bat, before he brings himself back to reality. He’s now left with a craving to be back in control, to not be the victim of his traitorous body, to feel competent once again, his inner Alpha making itself know. Therefore it’s almost fortunate when Hannibal asks him if he is willing to try out proctoring the test. _ Yes, yes. _ He knows how to do a fucking EKG, okay yes this one is _ slightly _ different but it seems like the perfect opportunity to get his confidence back.

“Yes, sure,” he replies, feeling better already just for having a plan in place and feeling like equilibrium between them is slowly returning. It’s so much easier to communicate with Hannibal when he’s not trying to hide something from him. Hiding from Hannibal takes energy, the man is incredibly intelligent and Will secretly worries it’s only a matter of time before his feelings are discovered. _ Just a year...after that it won’t matter...focus Graham... _

“Excellent,” Hannibal replies with a smile, “I will be your patient,” he says playfully and sits down on the medical bench where Will was a moment ago, a challenge in his eyes.

Will isn't sure where his bravery is coming from all of a sudden but he rides the wave, feeling like he's playing with fire but unable to resist, needing proof that he is still able to treat Hannibal as an equal, tease him a little. “You know, most people would be afraid of having the Chief of Surgery as their patient...after all you’re one of 2019's surgeons of the year,” Will replies, tone equally playful, earning a smile from the older doctor. 

“Indeed I’m sure they would be, however I believe you are up to the task,” Hannibal counters and Will smiles, enjoying their banter.

“Yes I am,” Will says, somehow feeling like he’s agreeing to more than just that question, but moves on quickly, “So, what do I do first?” 

Hannibal walks Will through the setup of the machine and then when it’s time for the leads Will tries not to ogle as Hannibal gracefully shrugs off his white coat, then unbuttons his dress shirt and shrugs that off, folding both items and setting them aside, brimming with an easy confidence...and Will can see why. _ Fuck he’s gorgeous. _ Strong toned muscles, smooth skin, and chest hair - a lovely thicket of golden curls with a few white hairs mixed in. Will's traitorous mind is already imagining himself running his fingers over his bare chest before he brings his mind back to the present, hoping he wasn't staring too long, now realizing the unintentional strip show has ended.

“Now you attach the leads, follow the order starting with number one using the image there to guide you,” Hannibal says. Will takes a breath, consulting the image to make sure he's got it, and then approaches Hannibal who looks both at ease and amused, the opposite of how Will is now feeling. 

Copying Hannibal's style, Will places his left hand on Hannibal's shoulder, partly for his own balance, partly to hold Hannibal in place, and feels his warm soft skin over firm muscle. _ Focus Graham_. He places the first four leads without incident, relishing that he is being allowed this close to Hannibal half naked. _ Fuck his next rut is going to be so much more vivid, _ and then he curses himself that he’s already anticipating fantasizing about Hannibal for his next rut. _ Focus... _on the fifth lead Will hesitates; the area he needs to place it is covered in chest hair, and he’s sure the lead won’t read if he tries to stick it there. He can feel Hannibal watching him, obviously curious what he will do but offering him no assistance. 

“Is it alright if I place the fifth one here?” Will says, touching his chest above where his chest hair ends. He can’t help how his finger lingers a little longer than necessary. “Unless you want me to give you a free waxing? Or shave you?” Will asks jokingly, trying to hide his arousal behind bravado.

*

Hannibal smiles, enjoying seeing Will back to his normal self, competently problem solving, the confident Alpha that he is. And if he didn't know any better he would _ almost _ say Will is flirting with him - and he is thoroughly enjoying it. And it almost seemed like his resident was checking him out earlier; Hannibal hopes that is the case but it's so hard to tell with him. And now the young Alpha's finger lingers near his heart, warm and confident and he relishes the sensation. 

“Yes, in this case you can place it there, but on a study participant the nurse would have shaved the area already,” Hannibal replies, smiling. 

Will places the rest of the leads and Hannibal enjoys the easy proximity, the intimacy between them. Hannibal sat with his legs open to give Will more room to maneuver which has Will standing between them to place the leads on his chest, sides, and back. Hannibal can't deny he enjoys watching Will work with a front row seat, feeling his confidence or hesitance through his touch, seeing the moment he learns something. He wants to experience Will with all of his senses and this experience is giving him four out of five. All that’s missing is taste, which Hannibal actively resists the temptation to partake in, as Will’s lovely neck is bared to him at the moment, scent glands visible just under his jaw. Once complete, Hannibal instructs him to turn the EKG on and a beeping can be heard steadily as the machine records the data. Once enough data has been recorded he instructs Will to shut it off and Hannibal asks Will to bring the printout over. Hannibal shrugs on his shirt but doesn’t button it yet as he explains the additional detail provided on the printout to Will.

*

Will really is trying to listen, but is distracted by standing in Hannibal's personal space with his shirt undone, his chest hair in plain view. Will can all too easily imagine that they had just had a tryst in here..._oh god _ he's got to stop his overactive imagination! He really should just ask if Hannibal is still with Alana and if he isn’t then just...pluck up some courage and ask Hannibal out. However the very real fear of rejection, paired with the thought of either a) having an awkward residency the rest of the year, or b) changing back to medical residency both leave him back in his middle ground of inaction. Surely he can wait a year right? _ Right? _

*

As Hannibal reflects on the day later that night, he has mixed feelings; he could almost swear his resident was flirting with him, which he would love except said resident has a girlfriend which leaves him feeling stupid for his infatuation and altogether hopeless. _ Argh _once again Hannibal wishes Margot didn't exist, he supposes he should be thankful Will has ceased talking about her around him, nor has she come by. He’s thankful for that, as the last thing he wants is a reminder of the seemingly bland Omega Will has chosen over him. Plus, ever the scientist, he reminds himself that math is on his side, for 40% of all marriages don’t last, and an even larger number of pre-marital relationships fail. So maybe, just maybe, if he can remain in Will’s life long enough, he will have a chance. But he’s not holding his breath, because deep down he’s afraid that even if Margot were out of the picture, that maybe he can never be what Will would want anyway.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> gah i know, im sorry! *hides* im a horrible tease. i promise things will make SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS in next chapter 😉   
  
♥♥♥ Thank you so much to all who have read, left kudos, or comments!! ♥♥♥
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
>   

> 
> **Notes:**  
  
\- so i totally blanked on a famous romantic couple that dances together...and google was surprisingly not helpful, but i really wanted gideon to envision them as a couple somehow and got stuck on that idea. hence why there is the incredibly obscure reference of those [figure skaters](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZmvGHYdCxTM)  
  
  
**Terms:**  
  
**Aphasic** \- inability to speak  
**Appendectomy **\- surgical removal of the appendix  
**Atrial flutter** \- abnormal heart rhythm  
**Case study **\- a published research article based on a unique patient case  
**Cath lab **\- short for cardiac catheterization laboratory - room with specialized equipment for heart imaging/procedures such as stent placement  
**County hospital **\- hospital run by the county and takes all patients regardless of insurance  
**CT **\- computerized tomography - a type of imaging like an x-ray but for soft tissue like the brain, looks like slices of people  
**Dysphoria **\- a state of unease, unhappiness, or dissatisfaction, usually in reference to something  
**EKG **\- short for electrocardiogram, a way to measure heart rhythm, makes that spiky earthquake graph looking thing (fun fact, also called ECG, the K is from the german spelling)  
**Four-point restraints **\- restraints on a patient, one on each arm, one on each leg  
**IRB **\- short for institutional review board, group of ppl who oversee research studies for ethics and such  
**Leads ** \- in this story it refers to the sticky pads with wires that are stuck to someones chest and record electrical activity of the heart into EKG machine  
**Lewis lead **\- like the story said, a specialized lead to better detect atrial flutter - i have personally never heard of this but i needed a reason for them to play with EKGs again, the concept of will's heart racing bc hannibal was touching him was too good to pass up imo  
**Medial prefrontal cortex** \- part of the brain thought to house the sense of self, for more on this here's the [wikipedia article](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_basis_of_self)  
**Neurology** \- branch of medicine concerned with the nervous system (brain, spinal cord, etc)  
**OR** \- short for operating room, where surgeries happen  
**Psychiatry** \- branch of medicine concerned with mental disorders  
**Psychosis** \- a mental disorder characterized by a disconnect from reality  
**Wave of ventricular depolarization** \- specific part of the heart rhythm  



	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Notorious flirt Anthony Dimmond is back, and Hannibal helps Will with his sleeping problem

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Like I said in the very beginning, the medical info in this might not be 100% accurate. Also you don't need to understand the medical stuff for the main story, but terminology is in the end notes if you are interested.

In the coming weeks Will’s surgical skills continue to improve, and soon enough Hannibal is having him do some of the surgeries independently (with his supervision). Will’s confidence grows each time he successfully completes one, yet he also feels the added responsibility - someone's life is literally in his hands and he can’t deny that he feels the pressure, wanting not only to live up to Hannibal’s expectation of him, but also to do well by the patients. 

However throughout all of this Will has continued to not sleep well, and in fact has noticed his sleeping has worsened. He suspects the added pressure he is experiencing is not helping, as historically stress has always made his quality of sleep worse. The only upside (if you can call it that) is that ever since his rut, now about half of his nightmares have become sex dreams about Hannibal. What’s interesting to Will also is that sometimes they aren’t even that graphic, for which he is thankful - he can only handle jerking off in the morning before work so often without feeling like he has a problem. However his most recent dream sought to combine the two: Hannibal _ and _ nightmares.

In his dream, he and Hannibal are in the hospital cafeteria, eating lunch together like they usually do, when Hannibal reaches across the table and touches Will’s face, wiping something from Will’s lip with his thumb. As Hannibal’s hand cradles his face Will catches his wrist, holding his hand in place and turns his nose into his wrist, smelling his warm spicy scent directly from his scent gland. _ Heavenly. _In response, Hannibal brings his free hand to the other side of Will’s face, holding him gently as if he his something precious. Somehow now the table between them is gone (as is the magic of dreams) and Will thinks nothing of leaning forward and kissing the older doctor, easily taking his face in his hands as well, as if he’s kissed him a hundred times, a thousand times (which in his dreams he probably has). 

Will feels the warmth and softness of Hannibal’s lips, the tenderness with which he holds Will’s face to his own, the sensuous slide of their tongues against one another, the hint of teeth biting at his lower lip - playful and with just a hint of roughness, yet also so loving and tender - the perfect balance. Together they are everything, together they are perfect. However when he pulls back to look at Hannibal, he is shocked. Hannibal’s skin is pale, his eyes void of life - somehow Will just _ knows _ that he’s dead - and his body is slowly fading away, becoming transparent and intangible. Will calls to him, grasps at him, even begs him to stay, but no matter what he does Hannibal fades into nothingness and Will is left alone, sobbing and futily grasping at the vacant space in front of him. He wakes, gasping for air, chest tight and eyes wet, heart hammering in panic. He nearly calls Hannibal in that moment just to hear his voice, to know he’s okay, but when he picks up his phone it’s 2:37AM and he thinks better of it. Logically he knows it’s a dream, but his emotions are strung too tight to go back to sleep so he reluctantly gets up and ends up watching Netflix on his laptop, hoping he’ll fall back asleep. He succeeds in returning to slumber around 4:30AM, but wakes at 6:00AM when his alarm goes off, feeling incredibly tired.

Occurrences like these are becoming more common for him lately - him having to drag himself out of bed, fighting against gravity pulling him back, and him drinking way too much coffee (and even some energy drinks) just to remain functional during waking hours. It got so bad that for the first time ever in his residency, there was a day that Will overslept. He was awoken by the shrill ringing of his cell phone and was mortifyingly embarrassed to hear Hannibal’s concerned voice when he groggily answered it. After that Will vowed to never let it happen again, no matter how tired he is.

*

Hannibal was worried when Will didn’t show up on Tuesday morning. He waited fifteen minutes, the standard professional grace period, before his worry kicked up a notch. He called Will’s cell phone and was surprised when he answered on the fourth ring, sounding incredibly out of it. His tone changed dramatically when he heard Hannibal’s voice - first surprise, then panic and embarrassment, as he apologized profusely for oversleeping. While unprofessional, Hannibal acknowledges that mistakes happen to everyone, and since it had never happened before and hasn’t happened since, he brushed it off and moved on. 

However, that Friday, Alana called out to him as he walked past the pediatric ward on his way to the parking garage. “Hey Hannibal! You’re working your man too too hard! You gotta let him sleep too!” she says with a wink. Hannibal blushes at the implication and changes his trajectory over to her where she is standing at the nurses station. 

“You know it’s not like that. What do you mean?” he replies, curious.

“I saw your resident asleep over breakfast the other day, I’m surprised he didn’t fall into his oatmeal! He only woke up when his alarm went off,” she replies accusingly, as if this is somehow Hannibal’s fault. She’s gotten more direct with him since they broke it off.

“I see. I assure you I am working him no harder than any other resident I take,” Hannibal says and Alana rolls her eyes.

“Suuure you’re not,” she says sarcastically as she puts a chart back in the chart holder. “Good night Hannibal,” she says, walking away. _ Hmm how odd. Will was asleep over his breakfast? And he overslept? _He’ll have to look into this. 

The next day Hannibal looks at Will, really looks, and sees he does look a big ragged and tired. His eyes are more bloodshot than usual and he has dark circles under his eyes. However, his performance has never wavered and he’s been on time every day since the one day he was late, so Hannibal doesn’t really have any grounds to comment...but he’s definitely going to keep an eye on him. 

* 

Monday morning, Will is already on his third cup of coffee when there’s a knock on Hannibal’s office door, followed by the appearance of a doctor Will vaguely recalls from orientation but can’t place at the moment.

“Why hellooooo Hannibal!” the doctor says, way too enthusiastically for this early in the morning in Will’s opinion.

“Anthony, welcome back,” Hannibal says. Will hears the forced politeness in his tone and he wakes up a little more, intrigued.

“Oh and who is this strapping young lad?” the doctor asks as he turns to where Will is sitting. Will stands and offers his hand to shake, mentally scoffing at being called a _ strapping young lad, _he’s thirty for Christ’s sakes. 

“I’m Dr. Will Graham, Dr. Lecter’s resident.” The doctor smiles, shaking Will’s hand, then covers their clasped hands with his other hand saying,

“It’s very nice to meet you, Will - can I call you Will? I’m Anthony Dimmond, cardiologist. Call me Anthony, I’m only Dr. Dimmond to my patients!”

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Will says, surprised and a bit confused as to why his hand is still being held by this character. His hand is released with an almost sensual slide of fingers against his own that is strangely comforting; it reminds Will a little of Margot for some reason and it clicks a second later - Anthony is an Omega! Now that he thinks about it he can smell him faintly - _ peaches? _

*

Since the second Anthony started touching Will, Hannibal’s blood pressure has been rising. _ How dare he?!? He’s barely just met Will and he thinks it’s okay to put his grabby hands all over him! Shameless flirt! _Hannibal is frozen in rage as he watches the scene unfold before him.

“You know Will, _ you_...” Anthony says as he coyly pushes his pointer finger against Will’s chest, “...were originally supposed to be _ my _resident - did you know that?” 

“Umm yes, I was aware,” Will says, looking confused, taking a small step back in response to the touch which makes Hannibal's blood pressure drop just a smidgen. “No offense to you Dr...um Anthony, I changed residencies - medical to surgical - it had nothing to do with you,” Will says placatingly, clearly not sure how to respond. 

“Oh aren't you just _ so _ charming, isn't he charming Hannibal?” Anthony says, putting an arm around Will as if to present him to Hannibal, causing Hannibal’s blood pressure to rise again. He takes a deep breath, trying to calm himself enough to speak professionally.

*

Will is reeling from this odd experience so early in the morning, having not gotten any cues from Hannibal yet how to handle this man, other than a vague sense of dislike. Will is surprised, normally he would resent being manhandled so patronizingly, but it’s with such a gentle touch (it’s that hard to define Omega thing) that it’s hard for him to summon much anger, as his nature makes him want to tolerate it to not upset the Omega. It makes him uneasy though, almost feeling as if he’s not totally in control of his body. Margot never used hers manipulatively that he can recall. This feels like it has an agenda but he can’t put his finger on what it is.

*

Hannibal has finally has taken enough deep breaths to reign in his desire to punch Anthony, but its a near thing. 

“Yes, very charming,” Hannibal answers, feeling his cheeks warm from giving Will such an overt compliment at the prompting of this fool, but he soldiers on trying to get to the heart of the matter. “What are you doing here Anthony?” Hannibal asks, letting some of his irritation bleed into his question.

“What?!? I can't just stop by to say _ hello _ ? We're not _ savages _ Hannibal. Speaking of, I did want to thank you _ and young Will here _ for taking care of that stent for me while I was _ indisposed..."_ Anthony says, still holding onto Will as if it's perfectly natural before he turns to Will and says conspiratorially, “...my heats are notoriously unpredictable.” He then returns to speaking to the room, declaring, “Both myself and Mr. Froidveaux thank you both. He’s doing well by the way…” Anthony continues and Hannibal wonders how one man can be so endlessly irritating - he’d almost prefer Chilton right now, at least he keeps his hands to himself!

“You’re welcome,” Hannibal says icily, sure he sounds like he doesn't really mean it (which he doesn’t). “You know Anthony there are excellent products available that help make one’s heat more predictable, they’re useful for people who work in fields such as ours…utilizing them might help prevent a situation like this from arising..._again_.” Hannibal pointedly emphasizes _ again, _ a not-so-subtle reminder that this is not the first time he's has had to cover for him. 

Anthony looks like Hannibal just told a joke which causes Hannibal to frown, not his intention. Anthony turns to Will (whom he’s still frustratingly holding onto) saying, “He’s a riot isn't he?!?” before turning back to Hannibal. “Honestly Hannibal you wound me! You talk as if I haven't tried them!” he accuses. 

“Have you?” Hannibal asks skeptically.

“My biology is too strong for them Hannibal! I can't help that my Omega genes are quite strong,” he says, throwing a wink at Will that has Hannibal’s blood boiling. “I'd rather focus my attention on my patients than fighting my nature,” he concludes, as if that settles it.

“Curious considering you can’t focus on your patients when you are _ indisposed _as you say,” Hannibal counters haughtily. 

“Yet when I am here, I am 100% here - no distractions whatsoever,” Anthony proclaims proudly and Hannibal is _ so done _ with this interaction it’s not even funny. 

A pause goes by then Hannibal says, “Indeed, however we are quite busy this morning Anthony so if there’s nothing else, we really need to get back to _ work._”

“There is actually one more thing," Anthony says, causing Hannibal to roll his eyes. “Hey I'm just the messenger!” Anthony says as he _ finally _ lets go of Will to hold up his hands placatingly. Hannibal releases a breath he didn't realize he was holding. “Crawford asked me to come see you, I have a patient who's been on the waitlist for a heart transplant and we got the call that there's a match. It’s being sent over so we're hoping to transplant it today. Can you _ and Will _ assist? Crawford asked for you, but Will this would be a great experience for you!” Anthony says the last part to Will, looking a little disappointed that he’s outside of his physical reach.

“And you didn't think to say that when you first walked in?!?” Hannibal says, flabbergasted.

“Now now, there are _ always _ time for pleasantries Hannibal. And calm down! ETA is four hours from now and the OR is already prepped. We have _ plenty _ of time. Crawford’s probably already had your patient load for today reassigned,” Anthony says. At the mention of this Hannibal clicks his calendar on the computer and sure enough his patients are all reassigned. He must look angry because Anthony holds his hands up again, “Hey, I’m just the messenger...Crawford said he was gonna do it, I just came from his office and he sent me here.” He pauses and when Hannibal doesn't reply he continues, “So I take it I'll see you two in the OR later.” He then turns to Will, saying, “Will it was _ lovely _ meeting you,” shaking his hand again before leaving with a wink. “See you later!”.

Will sits back down and Hannibal takes a breath, still looking at the door where Anthony left before he sits down as well._ Aren’t Omegas supposed to be calming?!? That one is positively infuriating. _

“Does this happen to you often?” Will asks. Hannibal snaps out of his fugue to look at Will as he clarifies, “Being asked to participate in surgeries of other doctors?” 

Hannibal takes another breath, disliking the residual peach smell from Anthony mixing with Will’s lily of the valley scent. He makes a mental note to talk to Crawford on his communication methods. “Yes it happens fairly often, it’s part of being the Chief of Surgery - anything outside of the norm I tend to get asked in on. It's not usually this frequent but it's also difficult to predict. It's another reason residents desire to work with me, the exposure to the more unique surgeries,” Hannibal replies.

“Well for the record I am very appreciative of the opportunity to work with you. I know it was unconventional how I ended up here, but I am fully aware of how fortunate I am to be here with you,” Will says genuinely, and that gets a real smile out of Hannibal. 

*

At one o’clock, Garrett Jacob Hobbs is wheeled into the OR for his heart transplant. Mr. Hobbs has been battling cardiomyopathy secondary to hypertension for many years and was told his only option was a heart transplant since the damage to his heart was already so severe medications are no longer effective. He’s been getting progressively weaker over the past six months, dramatically so over the last month, so this call couldn’t have come at a better time.

As they scrub in, both Anthony and Hannibal are talking Will through what will happen. However amusingly to Will, at some point it seems to have turned into Anthony and Hannibal trying to outdo one another in explaining things to him or rushing to answer his questions - it’s almost like they are both trying to convince him they are the more competent of the two. When Hannibal has turned away to put on his gloves, Anthony winks at Will and suddenly Will realizes Anthony was playing all along - intentionally goading Hannibal to respond that way. Will can't help but smile a little. _ Anthony’s cheeky_, he’ll give him that.

Despite the perceived contest between the two older doctors, during the surgery they are both consummate professionals; Will is surprised, it seems Anthony really can turn it on and off. During the procedure Will is tasked with various duties, being shared labor between the two men to fetch instruments, clamp this, hold that, suction here, etc. It’s his first time seeing an ECMO machine too and he is in awe when all the patients blood is rerouted outside his body for oxygenation, bypassing the heart. Remembering Hannibal's advice that not all surgeons take well to talking during surgery, Will doesn't ask any questions during the procedure; Anthony may seem overly friendly but Will wouldn't want to do anything to complicate this important surgery. 

Thankfully Will is able to accomplish everything asked of him. He realizes early on that he has the most anxiety when Anthony asks him to do something because Anthony doesn't know his skillset - really he knows nothing about him other than that he has worked with Hannibal for the past few months, whereas anything Hannibal asks him is because he knows what Will is capable of. But _ thank god _ everything asked of him he can do and he comes out with his ego boosted a bit, feeling nearly competent. When Hannibal told him he would start doing certain procedures himself he had been terrified, but now he supposes he really has learned a lot and does feel ready, if still a bit apprehensive at the responsibility.

The whole surgery is monitored by Jack Crawford and some others in the viewing room. Just like the Randall Tier surgery, the procedure has a tense air about it, being heavily scrutinized. It’s a surreal moment for Will when they 1) remove Hobb’s heart and place it in a tray, and 2) get the new heart out of the cooler. Hannibal pauses to show him the two hearts side by side and even without the explanation Will can see the difference - Hobb’s heart is much bigger than the donor heart, it’s to be expected. Years of high blood pressure stretched out the heart making it large, weak, and floppy - a very poor pump. 

When they start redirecting the blood back into his body, it’s a tense moment as they start to electrically stimulate the heart. It’s risky because the longer the heart takes to restart, the longer his body goes without oxygenation now that his blood isn’t being directed through the ECMO machine. There’s also a small risk of a blood clot forming despite the blood thinners he has been given as a precaution. Thankfully on the third attempt the heart starts pumping and they all watch the readouts on bated breath. Once five minutes have gone by and it continues to beat steadily they all breathe a collective sigh of relief. They close him up after the surgical nurse accounts for all the tools, and just like that, it's over. The surgery itself was four and a half hours, and by the time they are cleaned up, have documented all of the procedure, and gave post surgery orders its close to six o’clock in the evening. 

After the final signoffs are done, Anthony lets out a groan as he leans back in his chair. “Oh _ god _ I could use a drink. Do you drink Will?” he asks, still precariously reclined, arching his back a little. 

“Um yeah I drink,” Will replies automatically, feeling tired.

“Excellent! What do you say we go out, grab some drinks? Maybe dinner too? Celebrate our achievement!” Anthony asks.

“Um-” Will starts but then Anthony continues.

“Hannibal! You too! Come out with us,” Anthony says, causing Will to halt the words perched on the tip of his tongue. He was about to politely decline, but now that there is the prospect of spending time with Hannibal outside of work again he holds his tongue, waiting to see if Hannibal is going.

*

When Anthony arches his back and asks Will if he drinks, Hannibal feels his hackles rise, jealousy flaring. _ Fucking flirt Anthony Dimmond! _ Then when he is asked to go too Hannibal is torn on his answer. He truthfully doesn't want to go anywhere with the Omega doctor but he detests the idea of Will going out alone with Anthony. It sounded like Will going to decline but now his pretty young resident is just staring at him, silent. _ Bloody hell, _ again Hannibal wishes he could read his mind. _ Well only one option then. _

“Sure, why not? _ If we’re all celebrating _ then I’m in,” he says, message hopefully clear. If Will’s not going, he's not either.

“Yeah okay,” Will says with an almost shy smile, looking at Hannibal as he says it, and for just a moment Hannibal can almost believe he asked Will out and got that happy but bashful response.

*

Anthony ends up walking them to a restaurant nearby, one Will has never been to It’s a little more upscale than his wallet would normally choose, but just like before he’s not going to let something as trivial as money deter him from spending time outside of work with Hannibal. 

*

When they walk in the hostess takes them to a table. Will slides into one side of the booth and Hannibal is irritated when Anthony slides in next to him, forcing Hannibal to sit across from them. He reminds himself that this is _ exactly _ why he agreed to come to this. Anthony’s ridiculous flirting can only go so far if he is here, or at least he hopes.

A bored looking waitress comes to take their orders and once she leaves, Anthony leans back, placing his arm along the back of the booth, which also happens to be behind Will.

“Well fuck, we made it boys! Great work today!” Just as he says it the waitress returns with their drinks. Anthony raises his for a toast, “To a successful heart transplant! Your first, Will, but I’m sure it won’t be your last, you did amazing in there.” They all clink their glasses and drink, Hannibal drinking a larger gulp than what he normally would. Seeing Anthony’s arm behind Will and his excessive praise is wearing on him.

“So Will, how long can we keep you tonight? Anyone waiting at home for you?” Anthony asks. Hannibal takes another sip of his drink, not really wanting to hear about Margot and not confident he can keep his expression neutral. 

“Uh no, I’m single,” Will says, taking a sip of his drink. Hannibal just barely manages to not spit out his drink in surprise, instead almost swallowing it wrong as he tries to comprehend what he heard. _ Single?!? Will said he was single?!? _As soon as he swallows he can’t help asking, in his strained voice, as calmly as he can manage,

“What about Margot?” He stares directly at Will, feeling Anthony’s eyes flit to him before landing on Will also.

“Oh uh, we broke up,” Will says, shrinking a little under the intense stares of the two older men.

“I’m sorry to hear that!” Anthony all but coos, sounding anything but sorry. “Was it recent?” he asks, likely feigning sympathy.

“Uh, about a month ago,” Will answers, taking another sip of his drink. 

Hannibal does some mental math, then again can’t stop himself from asking, “But Margot was with you at the Awards Dinner?”

Will colors slightly, looking away for a moment before looking back, “Yeah, um, we’re still friends. She had already agreed to go with me so we went just as friends.”

Something seems to click in Anthony’s mind as they are taking and he interjects, “Wait...are we talking about Margot Verger?”

“Uh, yeah, that’s her,” Will replies, confused, “Do you know her?” 

“Oh yes I’m well acquainted with Ms. Verger in admin, she helped me with my medical leave paperwork when I came back from my unexpected heat. Her and her _ lovely _ girlfriend Dr. Bloom,” Anthony says, but then seems to backpedal when he sees a look of shock on Will’s face. “Oh apologies Will, you look as though you didn’t know she moved on already?” he says, placing a consoling hand on Will’s shoulder which causes Hannibal to squirm. “If it’s any consolation, in my opinion it’s still Margot’s loss, you’re an attractive young doctor Will, don’t let it get you down, I’m sure there are plenty of people who would love to date you,” he says, rubbing Will’s shoulder before returning his arm to the booth and Hannibal is nearly seeing red. _ Fuck Anthony Dimmond and his overly touchy Omega hands! _ He is almost about to snap when Will’s shocked voice pierces through. 

*

“You said Dr. Bloom is dating Margot? I thought she was dating you Hannibal,” Will says, glancing at Anthony before staring at Hannibal, barely believing his ears, needing to hear confirmation from Hannibal himself and the alcohol already making him lose his filter.

Anthony looks from Will to Hannibal curiously as they wait for Hannibal to reply, which he does, saying, “No, Dr. Bloom and I stopped seeing one another the night of the Awards Dinner. I was unaware she was dating Margot.” 

Will is reeling. _ Holy fucking shit. _ He knew Margot had told him it was going to happen, but it’s entirely something else to hear it in Hannibal’s sultry voice. 

“Well it’s a fuckin soap opera around here isn’t it?” Anthony says, looking between the two men. “I guess we’re a table of single men aren’t we?” he says, throwing a wink Will’s way, before calling out, “ Waitress! Can we get another round!” He’s obviously a little tipsy after just his first drink, but Will is still processing what he is hearing. He could ask Hannibal out, right now, right this very second. It’s so tempting, but wasn’t there a reason he was going to wait? He told himself he would wait, but the alcohol is clouding his mind. 

Speaking of alcohol another drink is placed in front of him and as he pushes his empty one away he remembers. If Hannibal says no, that’s a year long residency of awkwardness. Or would he be transferred? Is it considered sexual harassment to ask out your attending physician? No, better not to risk it. He can wait a year, he doesn’t want to get in trouble and of course he doesn’t want Hannibal to get in trouble either on the off chance his feelings are reciprocated. He drinks his new drink, realizing even if he did want to ask Hannibal out now, he certainly wouldn’t do it in front of Anthony. No, if he is rejected he wants it to be in private with no witnesses. It’s just a year, but as he looks at the older Alpha over the rim of his glass, he takes a larger gulp to fortify himself. _ It’s going to be a long year. _

*

Hannibal is seething, Anthony’s overt flirting and touching are driving him to distraction. The Alpha in him wants to stand up and forcibly pull Anthony away from Will. In his mind he pictures flipping the table out of the way, shoving Anthony to the floor, and then taking Will into his arms. As he sips his drink he reflects on how ridiculous his fantasies are becoming but he can stop them no more than the ocean can stop the tide. Will Graham tugs at him the same way, coaxing things out of him he’s never felt before. The only consolation is that Will seems impervious to Anthony’s flirting, outright ignoring most of it; it’s a balm on Hannibal’s foul mood. 

As he catches Will watching him he again wishes he could read the young Alpha’s mind. The fact that Will is showing no interest in Anthony could be a good sign or a bad sign. The fact that he has zero interest in an Omega is encouraging, but Anthony, like himself, is male, and Hannibal still has no idea if Will likes men at all. Currently he has no evidence that he does and it’s infuriating. What if he asked him out and he said no? Would he file sexual harassment? Or worse, what if he said yes just because he’s in his residency, fearful of saying no to his superior? No, he can’t think that way, Will is too smart for that. Yet Hannibal is still afraid. He’ll give himself tonight to think about it. He doesn’t want bloody Anthony here when he asks in anyway. 

The evening passes by as well as can be expected, with Hannibal vacillating between glaring at Anthony and trying not to be too obvious in his captivation with Will. He notices the younger Alpha yawns quite a bit as the night goes on but he maintains being pleasant company. Hannibal’s patience is tested at the end of the night when, as they are getting ready to leave, Anthony turns to Will and says, “You know Will, if you ever want to assist on any of my surgeries just page me, consider it an open invitation. You’re a bright lad and I would be _ my pleasure _ to mentor you,” placing his hand on Will’s shoulder again. 

To Hannibal’s relief, Will steps out of the contact and says, “Thank you Anthony, but to be honest I’m exactly where I want to be.” Will looks Hannibal in the eye as he says it and Hannibal feels like he was hit over the head. Did he really hear the affection in Will’s voice? A hint of flirting? Or is the alcohol? Either way he nods in acknowledgement, a smile on his lips, sure his skin is flushed but feeling hope in his heart. Maybe he does have a chance with Will…With that thought in mind they all go their separate ways for the evening, knowing they all have work tomorrow.

The next morning Hannibal is surprised that eight o’clock comes and goes and Will doesn’t show up. Did he oversleep again? Hannibal checks his phone but there are no missed calls or text messages. He’s quite miffed about this, as he spent last night and this morning convincing himself that he will ask the boy out at the first sign of any interest, and now he’s not even here! Before he can get too worried, Alana’s words from the other day float back to him. Maybe he fell asleep over his breakfast? As ridiculous as it sounds, the theory is easy enough to check. He walks down to the cafeteria and is surprised to see, just as Alana described - Will asleep sitting up, head slumped forward, hand barely propping his head up over his food. He’s off in the corner facing away so it makes sense that no one has noticed; from the back he looks like he's reading.

Hannibal approaches him and stares at him for a moment; he's not often able to look his fill but he sees the dark circles under his eyes. It’s clear Will isn't sleeping well. But why? Only one way to find out. “Will?” He doesn't respond other than his even breathing so Hannibal reaches out and shakes him on his shoulder and saying louder, “Will!”

Will jolts awake, knocking his silverware against the bowl causing a loud sound which seems to startle him even more. It would be cute except for Hannibal’s worry for him. Will’s eyes dart around frantically before they land on Hannibal, blue as always but red rimmed and swollen. He then looks at his phone and says, “Shit, oh my gosh I’m so sorry Hannibal.” He scrolls through his phone in frustration. “Somehow I set my alarm for PM instead of AM. It won’t happen again, I promise.” He says it with such seriousness that Hannibal can’t help a small smile. Will has such a determined fighting spirit, yet Hannibal doesn’t know what it is he’s fighting against, and that thought wipes the smile from his face. The young doctor puts his palms over his eyes as he leans his head down in what appears to be half frustration, half waking up. Hannibal takes this opportunity to sit down across from him, concerned.

“Will, talk to me, what's going on?” Hannibal asks gently. 

After a beat Will finally looks at him, embarrassed, saying, “It's nothing really, I’m sorry, it won't happen again.” Hannibal brushes of the dismissal; he hasn’t been a doctor this long to not know when something is being kept from him.

“That’s not my concern right now, Will, _ you _ are my concern,” Hannibal says gently, trying to project how much he cares.

*

Will is touched at the affection Hannibal is bestowing on him. Honestly he’s surprised he’s not getting yelled out, especially after he promised he wouldn’t be late again. A small part of him is disappointed because he secretly loves Hannibal’s Alpha voice - he’s sure it would be scary as fuck directed at him in anger, but it stirs something deep within him every time he hears it.

“No really, I’m fine,” Will says, trying allay the older doctor's concern, “I just haven't been sleeping well.”

Hannibal frowns, asking, “Did this just start recently?” Will can’t help but laugh in response, which appears to surprise Hannibal if his expression is anything to go by.

“Oh god no, I haven’t slept well for _ years, _ since my teens really, I uh… I have nightmares...they’re not as bad as they used to be, they used to be night terrors. Now if I had to diagnose myself I’d say insomnia with nightmares,” Will explains. 

“And if you had to assess yourself, would you say it’s getting worse recently?” Hannibal asks. Will can’t help but smile, Hannibal is treating him like patient and it makes him feel warm and fuzzy for some reason - he can see why Hannibal’s patients love him. 

Once he gives the question honest thought Will grins sheepishly, knowing the answer. “Yeah it does seem worse recently.” 

“Well you said you've had this for years, I assume you've tried things before to treat it?” Hannibal asks. Will smiles - Hannibal really is a good doctor, he can feel his warm regard and his attentive listening, and how he asks open ended questions, gathering information before pressing any recommendations on him.

*

“Um...all the typical holistic stuff, herbal teas, guided meditation, melatonin, lavender oil, reducing blue light on electronic devices...all didn’t help. I tried Benadryl and it helped a little but it makes me so groggy in the morning I’m nearly useless. I tried avoiding caffeine and not taking naps but it just made me more tired,” Will says, nodding at his coffee which Hannibal has come to know how Will likes it - milk and two sugars with an ice cube so he can drink it quicker. Here Will pauses, trying to figure out how to word the next part. Hannibal waits patiently. “I was prescribed sleeping medication when I was fourteen, in total I tried four different types and after the fourth one I swore I would never try any ever again…” Will seems to get stuck here so Hannibal prompts.

“I take it they didn't help?” Hannibal asks.

This seems to restart Will who looked lost in his head for a moment, probably reliving the memory. “Uh no, no they didn't help. But more than that. I had a bad reaction to all of them, like full blown hallucinations,” his resident replies.

“What medications were they?” Hannibal asks. 

“Ambien, Restoril, and Ramelteon, and Belsomra,” Will answers. “So I can’t take GABAs, benzos, hypnotics, or orexin antagonists. And nothing in the histamine family works either.” 

Hannibal takes a moment, digesting all the information Will has shared with him, his doctor assessment mode on. “Will...I understand your trepidation to try another sleeping medication, but since your symptoms are worsening I would strongly encourage you to try a different one...in fact I can think of at least one which is not in those drug classes that has a low risk for hallucinations,” Hannibal says evenly, curious what Will will say. They don’t always agree which is part of what he loves about Will, but he hopes Will will trust him enough to consider it.

*

Will considers it for a moment...he does trust Hannibal and his judgment, but he _ hated _ everything about taking those medications - _ hated _ the feeling of loss of control, _ hated _ how afraid he was, _ hated _ not remembering what he had done, _ hated _ seeing things that weren't there, _ hated _ not being able to distinguish reality from hallucination. He shudders at the memory, remembering his father being unable to cope with it, his emotional capacity taken up with the loss of Will’s mother, something he never got over, so he was no help to Will, and he was left to handle it on his own. And to be honest, his situation is not much is different now. What support system does he have? If he was still with Margot he supposes he could ask her to watch over him as he tries a new medication, but he could easily overpower her physically. He remembers being told he got violent at some points when he was hallucinating. He can’t risk being around someone who can’t defend themselves. Maybe Beverly? No, she's a Beta, he would be able to overpower her too. And he's honestly worried about what he might do if he takes a new medication by himself and has a similar reaction...he would be the living embodiment of the phrase ‘a danger to yourself and others.’

“Thank you Hannibal, really I appreciate your concern. I’ll think about it, but I think I can handle it without resorting to medication,” Will replies.

*

Hannibal normally loves how Will isn't afraid to disagree with him, but right now he dislikes it. The boy is clearly suffering, and as a doctor he should know that not all medications are identical. Just because the first four didn’t work doesn't mean another one wont work! _ Frustrating boy! _ He just wants what’s best for him, but he can't force him to. At least he said he'd think about it…

“Alright, well please, let me know if you change your mind, I’m here for you Will, okay?” Hannibal says emphatically. 

*

Will smiles, feeling his heart flutter. He can't remember the last time someone has made him feel this way, precious, worthy. No offense to Margot but they didn't exactly make each other's hearts pitter-patter. The “L” word was notoriously avoided by both.

“Well, when you're ready we have a carotid endarterectomy at ten,” Hannibal says. He clearly looks at Will’s uneaten breakfast, before adding with an understanding smile, “Meet me in my office in fifteen minutes.” Hannibal then rises from the table. 

“You aren't worried I’ll fall asleep again?” Will asks, half joking, however the look Hannibal gives him is anything but joking as he says,

“I trust you Will, if you say you have it handled, I believe you.” Hannibal then surprises him by smiling and putting a comforting hand on his shoulder. Will feels his mouth twitch up then down and feels his eyes get moist, the lack of sleep making him overly emotional. Has it really been so long since someone cared this much about his well-being? 

“Mmm, thanks. Yeah I'll meet you up there,” he replies, nearly overwhelmed with emotion. He didn't realize how much it would affect him to hear Hannibal's personal confidence and belief in him. Hannibal regularly tells him how well he does with medical and surgical skill, but it's been a long time since someone has voiced confidence in him as a person. He never got much acknowledgement as a child and apparently that void is still there. He takes some calming breaths once Hannibal is gone, before setting his timer on his phone, double checking the AM/PM just in case, but he doubts he’ll need his alarm - he feels super awake now. He eats his cold breakfast and tries to get his emotions under control. He hates this feeling - feeling weak, needy, like he needs validation, love, support. He’s a fucking Alpha male, he can handle his shit. It's just so much harder to control his emotions when he’s this sleep deprived. 

He does in fact make it up to Hannibal’s office on time, and together they head to the OR for the carotid endarterectomy which Will will perform. During the procedure, Will feels in a fugue but is determined to take his time and do everything right. Despite his care and attention to detail, his tired mind forgot to clamp one branch of the carotid artery before making the incision, and Hannibal catches him with a gentle reminder. Will flushes scarlet from head to toe, ashamed he could forget something so important, especially when someone’s life is on the line! He soldiers on and finishes up under the watchful eye of his attending physician but he can't help feeling like a child that's in trouble, that he's a disappointment. Didn't Hannibal literally just say he trusted him? And then what does Will do? Make an idiot mistake. Fuck his life. He can’t meet Hannibal’s eye as they wash up and walk back to Hannibal’s office. When they enter, Hannibal shuts the door and Will feels like that is the first sign things are not okay, they never shut the office door. The older Alpha’s scent begins to concentrate in the small space and it makes it even harder for him to think.

Hannibal sits down and levels a look at him. Will forces himself to return the look, but it's probably pretty pitiful. He decides to be brave and address the elephant in the room. 

“I’m so sorry Hannibal, I don't know how I forgot the third clamp,” Will says. 

“Will, with all due respect, I think we both know exactly why you forgot it. The same reason you fell asleep at breakfast. This is your problem, but when it affects your work it becomes my problem too,” Hannibal says evenly.

Will is scared, _ fuck is he going to get written up? Kicked out? What happens in a situation like this? _ His sleep deprived mind is spiraling, afraid, realizing if he loses his residency, really what does he have left? Hannibal must see the panic on his face because he says,

*

“Will, stay with me,” It appears to calm Will a little, although Hannibal’s heart breaks a little as the younger doctor looks up at him in his morose state.

“Where else would I go?” Will asks.

Hannibal decides to change the trajectory of this conversation. “Will - would you please consider trying a sleeping medication? I understand your hesitation but in a situation like this we can’t do nothing. You understand I can’t let you continue doing surgeries until this is addressed somehow,” Hannibal says.

*

Will nods at the words as understanding slowly creeps in. “You're not kicking me out?” he asks, suddenly hopeful that maybe things aren’t as bad as he feared.

“What? No. No absolutely not. But we need to find a solution, Will. I’m happy to work with you but only if you'll let me,” Hannibal says. Will sighs, first in relief, then in resignation. He’s tired, he does need help, and now that he realizes what's at stake he’s willing to try anything if it means he can stay with Hannibal.

“Yes, yes of course. You're right, I’m not managing this well, I need help. What do you recommend?” Will decides he’s all in, fully trusting his care to Hannibal from this moment on.

*

Hannibal is surprised, for as much as Will resisted earlier he's given in quite quickly. He must be feeling really bad. “Well based on what you've told me, I would recommend you try Trazodone 25mg, the lowest therapeutic dose,” Hannibal says. 

*

Will can't help the involuntary shake of his head no as he hears it even though he knows Hannibal is right. He's just so afraid of losing control by himself. 

“Will, talk to me, what is your concern? You can trust me,” Hannibal says.

“I, I just...I'm afraid to take it by myself. When I took sleeping meds before I lost time, I couldn’t tell what was real, what wasn’t, I couldn’t remember all of what I’d done, I was told on one of them I became violent...and I’m an Alpha, I don’t want to hurt anyone, especially if they can’t defend themselves from me...I also don't want to hurt myself,” Will says, closing his eyes against the memory.

*

Hannibal takes this in, wanting to hug Will, comfort him. The poor boy. “Those are valid concerns Will there is nothing to be ashamed of. After all, what is the first law of medicine? Do no harm, both to others and oneself.” Hannibal says. He thinks a moment and strikes upon two ideas, one infinitely preferable to the other. He’ll let Will choose… “I see two potential courses of action then...one is for you to do a sleep study. You’d be admitted overnight, and you’d be carefully monitored to make sure you don't harm anyone, including yourself…”

*

Will frowns at the sound of that...it reminds him of his time back then, being taken to the hospital and restrained, sedated. When he looks up he's already rooting for option two not even knowing what it is.

“What's the other option?” Will asks.

“Or I could stay with you, watch over you. Like yourself I’m an Alpha male...no offense Will but I suspect I could restrain if needed so you wouldn't have to worry about harming yourself or me,” Hannibal says evenly and Will almost can't believe his ears. Hannibal will watch him sleep? Stay with him? It's so touching Will finds himself getting emotional again. While he realizes there is a very large potential for embarrassment, he trusts Hannibal more than any random doctor they would have in the sleep lab. Plus this way he's not inpatient, being recorded, having it put in his file...he shudders at the thought, _ oh lord no _. 

“You would do that for me?” Will asks, still in disbelief. 

“Of course Will, I care about you,” Hannibal replies; he says it so matter-of-factly that Will smiles, trying to hold back tears as he nods. 

“Yes alright...um...thank you.”

*

Hannibal expected more pushback and is pleased at Will’s easy acquiescence before he realizes the logistics need to be ironed out. 

“I’d like to do this as soon as possible in light of today's events. How about tonight?” Hannibal asks, again feeling like in another world he could be asking Will out on a date. Oh the irony, he did want to ask Will out but not quite like this. _ Ha ha universe, very funny. _

“Umm sure yes,” Will agrees.

“Meet me back here at nine tonight, I’ll have everything we’ll need,” Hannibal tells him.

*

“Okay,” Will says, not having the mental power to question it, he’s trusting Hannibal anyway. The older doctor might see him at his worst soon anyway so why fight it, he doesn't have the strength to anyway. As much as he likes spending time with Hannibal outside of work hours this really isn’t what he had in mind.

“What do I do until then?” Will asks. 

“Go home, pack to stay over tonight. Normally I would say don't take a nap but in your current state if you do just try to limit it to no more than thirty minutes at a time, use your alarm,” Hannibal replies.

“Okay,” Will says as he stands to leave. However at the last moment he turns, saying, “Hannibal…” He’s distracted for a moment by the strength of Hannibal’s scent; Will feels like he’s breathing in love and comfort. Something deep inside him just knows that he can trust this man. “Thank you,” he says, making eye contact as he does. It feels inadequate but he can't think much beyond that. Hannibal smiles at him from his desk and for a moment Will sees Hannibal as a man - not a fancy surgeon, but just another man, who surprisingly cares about him...Will’s eyes get misty again and smiles once more before he turns and leaves.

It feels weird, walking out of the hospital so early, especially on a Friday. The sun is in a weird place in the sky as he walks home. In fact everything feels weird to him right now. Once home he sets his alarm for thirty minutes and passes out on the bed fully clothed. If he's going to have to pack for staying the night with Hannibal (and fuck if that isn’t an odd thought to have), he needs more brain power...just the words have him questioning what he agreed to, but before he can give it much thought he’s passed out.

*

Once Will leaves, Hannibal quickly takes care of his work for the day as he plans the evening. Today he fully utilizes the power that comes with being the Chief of Surgery as it greases the way for him to get everything he wants. He easily procures a patient room nearby his office that is also relatively private, marking it as unavailable in the hospital’s computer system. He asks one of his favorite cleaning people Marlene to give it a once over again and she happily agrees. She and Hannibal swap recipes every potluck, she's from El Salvador and Hannibal has yet to meet anyone with better recipes for pupusas. He then does a quick review of sleeping medications and makes a call to Dr. Spencer over in the sleep lab, asking for his opinion.

Once satisfied with his research on the matter, he heads to the pharmacy and picks up the small white tablet. He then leaves early, going home to grab his go bag as well as some other supplies.

*

At nine o’clock at night, Will re-enters the hospital, feeling a little better after his nap but it was _ so _ hard not to keep sleeping. An hour after his first nap he tried napping again but was woken by a very vivid dream - it started with him and Hannibal (like usual) in Hannibal’s office, just as they were earlier in the day with the door closed, except this time Hannibal backs him into the closed door and kisses him fiercely, pressing their bodies together intimately until they are both gasping and grinding against one another. It’s insanely pleasant but when Will opens his eyes an undetermined amount of time later, instead of seeing Hannibal’s warm brown eyes, he instead sees Hannibal lying on the floor in front of him, hand clasped to his neck, blood gushing out between his fingers. As is the strange logic of dreams, Will just _knows_ that he did this, that he forgot to clamp the artery and now Hannibal is bleeding out and it’s his fault. 

Will drops to his knees, unable to recall basic medical knowledge to help, feeling lost and scared. He tries to cover the wound, stop the blood, but the more pressure he applies, the more blood comes out, causing Hannibal getting paler and paler. Soon the room around them begins to fill with blood. When it gets deep enough to cover Hannibal completely Will panics, looking down at his hands covered in Hannibal’s blood, knowing in his heart he killed him. He didn’t mean to, but his mistake cost Hannibal his life, and he feels so hopeless he doesn’t do anything as the room around him continues to fill with blood. Just as he goes under he wakes up gasping and disoriented. After that, despite still feeling exhausted, he didn’t attempt another nap. Instead, he focused his albeit limited brain power on packing. He wasn’t sure what he was supposed to bring, so he packed his typical overnight stuff - toiletries, clothes for tomorrow, and sweat pants and a t-shirt to sleep in. 

As Will rides the elevator up, holding his duffel bag, he suddenly wonders where is he sleeping? What if they're going to Hannibal’s home?!? He pauses mid-stride as he exits the elevator but then continues. _ In for a penny, in for a pound, _ he supposes. When he arrives the older Alpha is sat at his desk but looks less professional than Will has ever seen him. The product is washed out of his hair (he must have showered Will thinks, swallowing at that mental image) and he’s wearing khaki pants and a sweater. He looks so much softer and more approachable than before.

“Ah Will, good evening, how do you feel?” Hannibal asks, setting down the book he was reading and rising from his desk. 

“Umm a little better than earlier,” Will says, enjoying the genuine interest in his well-being that Hannibal is emanating.

“Did you sleep?” Hannibal asks.

“I had one thirty minute nap. I tried a second one later but I woke up...bad dream,” Will says, looking away.

“I see,” Hannibal says, walking around the desk and perching on the edge of it in front of Will. It’s such a casual posture that Will can’t help his eyes being drawn back to him. Hannibal continues, returning Will’s gaze, “So I take it you are still open to try this? I want to be clear Will, we have to try something but that something doesn't have to be medication. If you really feel strongly against it, we can find another way...I don't want to coerce you.”

Will can’t help the smile that forms on his face, hearing Hannibal so considerate of him, he really is a good person. “No, no, you're right, it's getting worse and it’s true, I haven’t exhausted all the medication classes. I’m in. Do I need to sign something?” Will asks, the last part around a yawn, causing Hannibal to chuckle. 

“No not unless you intend to sue me,” Hannibal says and now it’s Will’s turn to laugh.

“Ha ha, no I don't intend to sue you...I trust you,” Will says, looking away again, the atmosphere suddenly very intimate. In this moment he can’t recall the last time he told anyone he trusts them.

“Very well, let me show you our room,” Hannibal says and Will keeps himself turned away a moment longer, feeling himself blush at hearing Hannibal says those words to him. _Our room._ The older doctor walks out of the office, with Will falling into step behind him. Hannibal leads him down the hall, passing by one patient in the process, to the room at the very end of the hall. The patient rooms on this floor are overflow rooms, only used when the hospital has a high census, which it doesn’t right now so the rooms on either side are empty. Walking in, Will notes it has two beds and smells cleaner than most hospital rooms do; he looks at Hannibal who correctly intuits his question.

“I had Marlene clean it up for us. Is this alright? We could go to my home or your home if you'd be more comfortable-” Hannibal starts but Will cuts him off, slinging his duffel bag on the chair and sitting on the bed rubbing his eyes. He doesn’t feel like he has the mental capacity to either be in Hannibal’s home or bring Hannibal to his tiny apartment. _ No way. _

“No this is fine, thank you,” Will says sincerely, looking up and offering a tired smile. Apparently satisfied, Hannibal sets his own bag down and gets the prescription bottle out of his pocket, holding it out to Will. Will takes the offered bottle, surprised at how light it is, instantly realizing it only has one small pill inside.

“This is Trazodone 25mg, I consulted with Dr. Spencer in the sleep lab, he agreed it has the least chance of hallucinatory side effects and is in a different class than the four you tried previously. It typically kicks in within thirty minutes and lasts about six hours,” Hannibal explains. 

“Isn’t this for depression?” Will asks. 

“Yes but it has an off-label use for sleep. It’s common to be tried when other sleeping medications have failed, as is the case for you,” Hannibal says. 

“Are hallucinations a potential side effect?” Will asks after taking in the information, it’s really the only other question he has.

“Yes but unfortunately it’s possible with all sleeping medications, however this one has the lowest occurrence,” Hannibal says.

Decision made, Will opens the bottle and lets the small white pill slide into his palm, saying, “Okay, here we go.” He pops the pill into his mouth and walks to the sink, washing it down with some water.

After that they both get ready for bed. They close the door to the room and Will changes first in the small patient bathroom, coming out wearing socks, sweat pants, and t-shirt. Hannibal then changes into fancy but tasteful pajamas with a robe and Will tries not to stare, although his tired mind can’t help but be enthralled at taking in every little intimate detail he learns about Hannibal. This is him without his armor. Hannibal the man, not the Chief of Surgery.

After a moment of contemplation, Will realizes he does feel tired so he lays down. He sees Hannibal sit in a chair on the opposite side of the room and open the same book he was reading earlier, his slippered feet propped up on the second bed. “Don’t mind me Will, I'm here if you need me, but otherwise just relax and go to sleep,” Hannibal says gently. 

Will closes his eyes, enjoying hearing Hannibal’s soothing voice talking to him. Maybe he should have Hannibal record him a meditation - now _that_ he would be enthusiastic about trying. He smirks briefly at the thought, before realizing that would probably just make his dreams that much more vivid which is not what he needs right now, he has enough trouble keeping his body and emotions in check now without adding more fuel to the fire. With that thought, he slips into slumber, lost to the world.

When Will next is aware, the world has a dreamlike quality. Is he awake? Or asleep? He can’t tell where he is, yet his surroundings feel familiar. He looks down and the skin on his arms starts to ripple, almost like water. _ Hmm that’s odd. _ Intrigued, he touches it and it ripples some more. _ Cool! But it hasn’t always done that, has it? _ He’s amused for a moment before the rippling intensifies and that's when somehow Will just _ KNOWS _ there are millions and millions of bugs crawling just underneath his skin, inside of him. The realization is nauseating, sickening, and he panics, trying to retreat by scrambling backwards even though he knows it makes no sense since they’re _ inside _ of him, but he wants to flee, to get away from the feeling. Out of instinct he backs up, rubbing frantically at his arms and legs, trying to determine where the bugs are, _ fuck they keep moving! _

Will quickly realizes that it’s not that the bugs are moving but that they are _ everywhere _ inside of him. _ Fuck!!! _ Can he live like this? Surely there can’t be room for his blood and organs with all those bugs in there? Is he dying? He starts trying his best to claw them out, he’s not ready to die yet! As he tears at his skin with his blunt nails he recognizes how strange it is that he can feel no pain, yet the more he tries the slower his movements become, his arms feel heavy, as if he’s in sand or water, like he’s pushing against resistance. Resistance...then calming…something...what is that sound? Whatever it is it’s making the bugs go away...his own personal pied piper. _ Thank god just in time! _ He looks and looks for his savior, and soon enough a face comes into view, a face he remembers being dead, gone, that he was mourning. _ Is that really Hannibal? He’s not dead!?! Oh thank god! _ Will tries to speak but his mouth feels like his tongue is too big and like it’s full of cotton, like the ability to speak is being held down deep inside of him, held hostage preventing him from making more than a mild _ mmm _ sound.

_ Hannibal! Oh god, you’re here! You're here thank god! I thought you were gone, I thought you were dead! _ Will tries to say the words but they don’t come out, his mouth still isn’t cooperating, even though the bugs seem to be mostly gone. _ Oh well, no matter, I can communicate other ways, _ Will thinks, blindly accepting his strange reality in the way one does in dreams. Will brings his hands up to cradle Hannibal’s face, to check that he’s really here, really real, absently noting the heaviness in his arms seems to be gone. However, just as he has his hands gently around Hannibal’s face, he becomes troubled as Hannibal’s face keeps coming in and out of focus, almost like he’s fading away. _ No! No Hannibal don't go! Don't leave me, I need you please...I love you... _

Hannibal’s face continues to flicker in and out so Will pulls his face closer, _ Hannibal… _ A moment later he can hear something...he can’t understand it but somehow he knows it’s Hannibal’s sound... _ do people have sounds? Yes they must, they have smells, oh yes _ he smells Hannibal’s spicy clove smell… _ What are the other senses? Oh yeah...touch, sight, and taste… _ Will realizes he has four of the five...but Hannibal keeps fading away, _ No...stay, please... _ Will pleads, wishing he could speak, wishing he could make Hannibal hear him. As if needing proof Hannibal is actually here in front of him, Will brings their faces together and thinks nothing of bringing their lips together, kissing Hannibal, tasting him, just like he’s done before, and _ oh yes _ this is what he needed! The warm soft wet pressure of Hannibal’s lips against his own, his spicy scent concentrated in his nostrils, the feel of his skin beneath Will’s hands, the sight of his face so close, warm brown eyes boring into his own. All proof that Hannibal is alive and well! Will can sense him with all his senses. 

Just as he is relishing the proof of Hannibal’s existence, Will feels that heavy resistance again...feels Hannibal disappearing...his taste is gone, the view of his face is gone, Will’s hands grasp onto empty space desperately...Hannibal’s smell lingers but Will can no longer hear his sound and he panics, feeling alone and helpless. _ Hannibal, no no...please don't leave me, please don't be dead, I love you, I love- _Will desperately reaches out for him and instead encounters a sharp pain, the world around him instantly fading to black, yet his awareness remains. 

A moment later the heavy resistance returns and he fights desperately against it before stilling as he hears Hannibal’s sound again, straining to hear it. _ Yes he's here! Hannibal is not dead! _Will cranes his head around looking for him but he can’t see him; however he realizes he can smell him and hear him, so he tries to focus on that - he'd rather have part of Hannibal than none. So he listens and smells, still feeling on edge, but calmed slightly, no longer feeling the urgent need to try to alter his reality. As long as Hannibal is here with him, he’ll be okay. 

*

Hannibal was reading his book, robe draped over the back of his chair, cautiously optimistic that maybe the medication worked as Will appeared to be asleep shortly after taking the medication. Hannibal enjoyed looking his fill at the young Alpha, resisting the urge to brush a stray curl off his face. However, after about an hour he hears a whimper and looks over to see Will has sat up in bed and is staring at his arms.

“Will?” No response, he tries again a little louder, “Will?” Then in a flash Will scrambles backwards in the bed, a look of sheer terror on his face, his flailing movements knock over the tray table and some other equipment nearby, and the blanket falling to the floor except where its caught on one of his feet. It all happens so quickly Hannibal’s having trouble knowing where to look, but when he looks back at Will he sees now he is clawing at his forearms. Hannibal immediately reacts, he can see where Will’s blunt fingernails have almost broken through his skin. Without hesitation he gets onto Will’s bed, straddling the young doctor, wrenching his arms apart, and pinning them to his sides to prevent further injury. Because of this he doesn't see the headbutt coming until it's too late and he feels his lip split, tasting blood. He leans back, reevaluating the strength of the young Alpha below him - _ he’s strong, stronger than he looks_, _ yes it’s no doubt why Will was worried about hurting himself or others. _

Hannibal’s nearly bucked off once before he starts talking again, “Will! Will can you hear me? Will, it’s Hannibal...” A moment after he starts talking Will goes lax below him, eyes wide but unseeing, looking lost, afraid. Encouraged that the flailing has stopped, Hannibal keeps talking, “Will, you're okay, you're safe, you're safe with me, hmmm?” As Hannibal watches the young man below him, he sees Will seems to be searching - for what, Hannibal’s not sure - but the more Hannibal talks causes Will to whine needily; Hannibal mentally debates if his voice is providing distress or comfort, but he keeps talking regardless though, repeating that Will is safe as it at least seems to keep his body from flailing around. This thought reminds him he is still pinning Will down quite forcefully and he wonders if maybe he’s hurting him? Hannibal experimentally loosens his grip on Will’s wrists and rises up on his knees, testing. Will doesn’t resume flailing and doesn’t try to fight him so after another moment Hannibal tentatively releases Will’s arms, his own arms still out in front of him just in case (he learned his lesson). 

Slowly, as if realizing their freedom, Will’s arms rise and search the space around him almost like a blind man. His questing fingers find Hannibal's arms first and slide over them gently, hesitantly, until he pauses, and Hannibal almost expects Will to wake up from his state. Instead Will shifts underneath him to sit up more, hands continuing to work their way up Hannibal’s arms to his neck; reflexively Hannibal tenses, worried for a moment Will will choke him. His worries end up being unfounded as Will’s gentle touch continues up until he is gently cradling Hannibal’s face, fingers ghosting over his eyebrows, nose, and lips. It’s entirely pleasant and Hannibal can smell the younger Alpha’s delicate lily of the valley scent directly from the scent gland at his wrist. Hannibal has to force himself to remain alert, reminding himself that this Will touching him gently is not the Will he knows. As Will’s fingers trace over his lips Hannibal would bet money his blood is now on Will’s thumb from his split lip. The intimacy of it surprises him and he takes a breath, feeling afraid to move for fear of breaking whatever this is. 

For the briefest of moments Hannibal thinks he sees clarity return to Will’s eyes, but a moment later he is sure he didn't because suddenly Will has yanked his head towards his own and is kissing him, letting out a relieved rush of breath on a whimper. Hannibal can taste his own blood as Will’s lips press intimately against his own. The kiss is warm, perfect, heavy and slow, with Will’s mouth opening against his own. Hannibal spares a moment of shock - one brief moment of enjoyment thinking _ oh hell he tastes like sin _ \- before he makes himself pull back; the young Alpha isn’t himself, he doesn't know what he's doing. 

When Hannibal breaks the kiss Will makes a distressed whine again. Shortly after strength returns to his limbs causing Hannibal to have to forcibly pin his arms down again, settling his weight firmly against him to hold him in place. As he does so Hannibal is once again surprised by his young resident as he feels a hardness pressing against his hips where he has Will pinned to the bed. Hannibal is reeling - is Will aroused from kissing him? Did he even know he was kissing Hannibal? Maybe he thought he was kissing someone else? Or is it just the normal nocturnal penile tumescence that occurs with the sleep cycle? Regardless it’s incredibly distracting and is making his own dick interested in their position. 

Hannibal shifts his body to hold Will’s thighs down with his shins to keep their hips separated; it’s probably more painful for both of them but Hannibal needs his wits about him right now if he’s going to handle this situation. In an effort to calm the distressed sounds Will continues to make, Hannibal starts talking to him again and instantly Will seems to calm down again. _ Hmm...sensory input seems to help.._.Hannibal thinks. His sharp mind quickly comes up with a plan, continuously taking to Will about anything, the content doesn’t seem to matter - as long as he keeps speaking Will remains calm. Eventually Hannibal becomes uncomfortable so he positions himself sitting up at the head of the bed behind Will, manhandling the younger Alpha so that he is sitting in the vee of his legs. 

Hannibal puts his arms around Will to restrain his arms, pulling his back to rest against his chest, and he just keeps talking. Eventually he runs out of material and starts reciting fairy tales in Lithuanian from his childhood, sharing anything he can recall from memory to pass the time as he basks in having Will pressed against him so intimately. Eventually the rigidity leaves Will’s body, his head slowly comes to rest against Hannibal’s shoulder and he seems to doze off. After a few minutes go by, Hannibal releases his grip and realizes now he's in a pickle, trapped under Will’s surprisingly heavy Alpha body. He doesn't dare try to extricate himself lest he wake up the young doctor and start round two of disorientation. Plus in all honesty he really doesn't _ want _ to move, although he hopes it isn't too awkward when Will wakes up… 

*

When Will comes to, it’s to a feeling of warmth and comfort. He slowly blinks his eyes open and he doesn’t recognize where he is at first, until suddenly it all comes flooding back to him. _Hmm,_ he feels pretty damn good, _maybe the medication worked?_ _That's a surprise,_ but then again Hannibal is incredibly smart, so if anyone could help him he's not surprised it’s Hannibal. Speaking of Hannibal, Will looks over to where he last saw the older Alpha and doesn't see him, yet his nose can smell his warm clove scent so he must be nearby. In that moment reality seems to finally make itself known and he realizes he feels a warm firm body behind him and _oh fuck is that an erection pressing into his lower back? _And oh god he’s hard too. His comfort is lost to quiet panic and he carefully turns his head and what he sees takes his breath away. 

All at once Will understands and doesn't. How did this happen? _ Oh god, he's never taking sleeping medication again! How could this be more embarrassing? _ He’s using Hannibal as a pillow for god's sakes! Throughout Will’s panic Hannibal seems to remain sound asleep, it feels like Hannibal’s head is resting against his own and Will feels small puffs of breath near his ear and the tickle of what he assumes is Hannibal’s hair. It’s all entirely too pleasant. After the initial shock has worn off he looks around the room again and sees a bunch of shit knocked over and the window shows daylight. _ Well this should be interesting. _ He indulges a moment longer but his own morning wood is getting too interested in feeling Hannibal behind him so he reluctantly forces himself to scoot slightly away from the older Alpha, reminding himself that Hannibal’s erection likely has nothing to do with him, it just happens when men sleep. As he shifts he hears an inhale near his ear and the large body behind him coming to life.

“Mm...Will?” Hannibal’s sleep gravelly voice asks near his ear and Will’s heart skips a beat, suppressing a shiver. Will feels frozen.

"Uh yeah?” he replies somewhat inelegantly.

*

Relief washes over Hannibal as he realizes Will is lucid again. On the heels of that thought comes the pleasant but surprising realization that he hasn't moved much from his position resting against him. Will’s floral scent is still filling his nostrils on every inhale, and he has the thought he wishes he could wake up like this every day, although under different circumstances. Hannibal also realizes his erection is aware Will hasn’t moved much from their sleeping position. He’d be embarrassed except as a doctor, he knows it happens when men sleep and suspects Will knows that too; what Will doesn’t know is that that's not the only reason. But now is not the time for such lewd thoughts. 

“How do you feel?” he asks.

*

“Umm fine, well rested actually…better than I’ve felt waking up in a long time,” Will says as he reluctantly scoots forward and turns fully around, sitting cross legged on the bed facing Hannibal, gasping when he sees him. “Oh fuck! Hannibal what happened?” Will exclaims, forgetting it’s probably not professional to cuss in front of your attending physician, but he’s beginning to suspect he did much worse than that. Hannibal's lip is split, dried blood caked on and smeared down his face. Will doesn’t think twice about reaching out, cupping Hannibal's chin to look at it closer as shame washes over him. His stomach drops when he sees dried blood on his own fingers too. When he speaks again his voice breaks as he says, “I...I did this didn’t I?” Will looks away as he lets his hand fall from Hannibal’s face, seeing the carnage around the room from a new angle now. Inside he's scared because he doesn't remember any of this. He looks down at his arm he sees some pink scratches. He runs his fingers over them, trying to reconcile this new reality when Hannibal's hand reaches out to still his.

“Hey, it’s okay Will, you had a severe reaction to the medication, I suppose you were hallucinating. Do you remember?” Hannibal asks gently, letting his hand rest on Will’s. 

Will looks down at Hannibal’s hand atop his in surprise and he shakes his head before says, “No, I don’t...I’m sorry.” He looks up again at the older doctor’s face as Hannibal takes his hand back with a pat to his own, sitting up more fully. He looks so cute and soft, having just woken up, Will desperately wishes it was under different circumstances. 

“You don't remember anything?” Hannibal asks somewhat incredulously.

Will tries to think back “No...um, I remember getting into bed, you were reading over there…,” he points, “and then I woke up like this…” Will says.

*

Hannibal is both relieved and disappointed at Will’s answer. That means he doesn’t remember the kiss. For a split second Hannibal wonders if Will might be lying out of embarrassment but a brief assessment of him confirms he certainly looks rattled enough to be telling the truth.

“You slept for about an hour, then you sat up and started clawing at your forearms, flailing all around like something was attacking you. You were mostly unresponsive to verbal commands, I had to restrain you from hurting yourself…” Hannibal explains, clinically and succinctly but with gentleness.

*

“Is that when that happened?” Will asks, indicating Hannibal's lip. To his surprise Hannibal laughs lightly before he speaks.

“Yes, I’ll admit I didn't consider your head to be a weapon, now I know better,” Hannibal says jokingly but Will still looks chagrined.

“I'm sorry,” Will says.

“There’s nothing to be sorry for Will, you weren't yourself. And you did warn me multiple times about the severity of your previous reactions,” Hannibal says.

At the mention of being restrained Will touches his wrists, seeing the beginnings of a ring of bruises and feeling them a little tender. Hannibal must follow be watching his movement because he says,

“It looks like we injured each other,” as he takes Will’s wrist in his hand, inspecting the bruises. “Apologies.”

“No, no thank you for watching over me...what happened next?” Will asks.

*

Hannibal debates. Should he tell Will about the kiss? He probably should, it's the right thing to do, full disclosure, but Will looks so rattled right now he doesn't want to embarrass him more, or at least that’s what he tells himself. He decides to skip over it, a lie of omission, saying, “Around that time it appeared sensory input seemed to keep you calm, specifically me talking to you. Eventually I oriented us for our comfort but so I could also react if needed. After about three hours you eventually fell asleep. I didn't want to risk waking you so I stayed here. I hope you don't mind.”

“Oh no, no, not at all. Thank you, again. Jesus Christ - three hours? You talked to me for three hours?!?” Will says, again looking chagrined and Hannibal can’t help a good-natured laugh.

“I assure you it was the easiest part of the night and not unpleasant in the slightest. A small price to pay for your comfort,” Hannibal says. 

“Well thank you, again. So I guess that's another med to add to my allergy list,” Will half jokes as he stands, stretching. 

Hannibal chuckles, “Indeed,” scooting to stand as well. 

Hannibal notices Will frown as he asks “What does this mean?”

“Hmm?”

“This medication didn't work...can I still work with you? Do I have to try another one?” Will asks, worried look on his face intensifying. Hannibal sighs, surprised at the strong desire to hug Will, comfort him - right now he looks so scared and lost, not like the confident young Alpha doctor he has come to know and love. _ Wait...love? _ Hannibal is surprised to realize he does, in fact, love the young man standing before him. 

“Let’s see how this week goes,” he replies, trying to put reassurance into his voice. Will nods in acknowledgement but still looks broken. _ Alright fuck it, _Hannibal thinks. Overriding his hesitation, Hannibal follows his gut, steps into Will’s space and pulls him into a hug. 

*

Will feels more and more unbalanced by the moment. Something about being in a hospital room for so long, not as a doctor, yet not truly as a patient either has him thinking about his mother - how lost and lonely he felt after she died, how his father abandoned him for drinking, how afraid he felt then, how broken - and he can’t help but feel that now. He is afraid of losing the only good thing he has in his life right now and he hates that his body is betraying him, hates that his fucking nightmares and irregular sleep might cost him this opportunity. His whole life he has been able to overcome anything he set his mind to, but how does one overcome something like this? It’s really out of his control! He can't help as he feels his breathing increase and tears prickle behind his eyes. He looks down, trying to calm himself, trying to hold it in. He’s already embarrassed himself so much in front of this man and doesn't even remember it. A shadow falls into his line of vision and before he can react Hannibal has encircled him in a hug. Instantly Will falls apart, an ugly sob escaping him as he lets the tears fall, pressing his face into Hannibal's pajama shirt, the fabric dampening and he clings to him, too in need of the comfort he’s offering to be embarrassed. 

Throughout his breakdown, Hannibal just holds him, rubbing his back, resting his head against the side of his own. Will soaks it in like a drowning man gasping for air. He’s not sure how much time goes by but he eventually he finds his breath again and loosens his grip, turning to wipe his nose on his own shirt and sniffling. The embarrassment of his loss of control slowly starts to permeate his mind and he finds he can’t meet Hannibal’s eye. What must he think of him? Making mistakes in surgery? Coming in late? Untrustworthy? Mentally unstable? Surely Hannibal won’t want to keep him as a resident...let alone anything more. He feels his mood spiraling away from him, feeling more hopeless by the moment.

Hannibal leads him back to the bed and sits him down, getting the tissue box from where it had fallen on the floor and hands Will one before sitting down next to him, so close their bodies are touching. Will is surprised to find it feels so natural - were they always this comfortable around each other? He can’t recall, right now it seems like everything around him is changing out of his control and nothing makes sense. Will accepts the tissue and dabs at his nose, blowing it somewhat inelegantly before setting the tissue aside, feeling Hannibal put his arm around him once more. He can’t help leaning into him at the comfort it provides and letting out a sigh.

“Will?” Hannibal asks gently.

“Hmm?” Will replies, still looking down at his hands and not fully trusting his voice yet.

“Talk to me, please,” Hannibal says gently, squeezing his hold little before relaxing it again. His warmth, strength, and scent all make Will feel safe, even loved, which he finds surprising as he’s pretty sure his sleep-deprived emotional brain is getting its signals crossed. This is just professional courtesy, it’s just wishful thinking that it’s more. He tries to rally, get himself together enough to reply in a coherent way. Right now his mind feels all jumbled.

“I’m sorry...it all just got to me for a moment...I, I really don't want to lose this Hannibal...working with you...and just...being in this room...it’s bringing back memories of my mother...she died in a room just like this, a blood clot in the lungs from lupus. I was seven. It's actually what motivated me to become a doctor…” He pauses here and then scoffs, continuing, “I’m sure there's some psychology in there, a way for me to gain control over an uncontrollable situation…”

“I’m sorry,” Hannibal says softly, rubbing Will’s back and he basks in the comfort it provides.

Will sniffs again, “Thanks,” still unable to meet Hannibal’s eyes.

“You know Will, you keep apologizing for your feelings, but I assure you, you don't need to. Emotion is not a sign of weakness, it's part of the human condition, we can no more separate ourselves from our feelings than we can remove the blood from our body and remain alive, it is an essential part of us. I promise you that everything you're feeling is valid and I think no less of you for it. I see it all too often with Alpha males...this expectation to be above one’s emotions, yet in my own professional and personal experience I find this to be a toxic practice. You need to let yourself be intimate with your emotions Will. They’re part of you, they're there for a reason,” Hannibal says, continuing his soothing motions. 

Will nods as Hannibal talks, taking in the words, reflecting. He supposes he's always felt the need to be strong, in control of all things in his life, only able to truly rely on himself. He really doesn't have anyone he can be truly vulnerable with like this and he has to admit he does feel better, a bit unburdened and validated by just sharing this with Hannibal. Will finds himself smiling, finally chancing a glance at Hannibal and jokingly saying “Are you sure you're not a psychiatrist?”

Hannibal smiles at Will’s words, continuing to hold him against his warm solid body and Will feels tears spring to his eyes again at the feeling of comfort it brings, seeing this amazing man smile because of him.

“No, I daresay I’m not as _ gifted _ in matters of the mind as our friend Dr. Chilton is,” which causes Will to laugh. After a beat Hannibal continues, “You know Will, your story is not all that different from mine. I lost my sister when I was eleven to leukemia.” Will sits up a little looking at Hannibal as he speaks. “The pain was unfathomable...when I started med school I wanted to be a pediatric oncologist.” Will pointedly hears the _ wanted _ \- past tense. Not thinking too much about it, Will slips his arm around Hannibal's back, trying to offer him comfort too.

“What changed your mind?” Will asks gently. Hannibal is staring forward but his eyes are far away. Eventually he turns to look at Will and their eyes lock. 

When he speaks his voice is more vulnerable than Will has ever heard and he suspects he is being gifted information and knowledge not many others get. “It hurt too much, seeing children just like her…” he pauses, then continues, “...I changed to cardiology, and then I realized I had an aptitude for surgery as well...I suppose I traded one matter of the heart for another...” They both share a sad smile at his joke. “There’s no shame in doing what's right for you Will, you don't answer to anyone but yourself. I donate to leukemia research every year. There's always another way.”

The words resonate with Will and he wonders if Hannibal is referring to more than just the topic at hand or if he's reading too much into it but he nods all the same. Feeling the mood getting heavy, Will decides to try to lighten it. He looks right at Hannibal, making sure he has his his gaze before he says, “You know, your bedside manner is pretty good for a surgeon,” smiling. This gets a small laugh out of Hannibal and they both smile at one another.

“Thank you...how do you feel about getting some breakfast?” Hannibal asks. Will jumps at the idea, ready to be out of this room but not ready to be away from this man who has captured his heart. 

“Yeah, that'd be great,” he says. 

They take turns in the bathroom changing and washing up. When Will looks in the mirror he is shocked to see dried blood on his face as well! He tilts his face to the side to get a better look, trying to figure out if he is injured or if it’s more of Hannibal’s blood. He doesn’t see any wounds so he concludes it’s likely Hannibal’s. As he washes it off of his bottom lip and chin, he wonders how it got there in particular...it’s almost as if he...no he doesn’t even want to think of the possibility that he kissed Hannibal! Then he mentally kicks himself,_ duh Will, it probably happened when you headbutted him! _He feels guilt all over again but tries to put it behind him as he exits the bathroom.

Once they are packed, they walk down to the cafeteria and eat breakfast. Since it’s a Saturday they go their separate ways after they finish. Will walks home and showers, as is his custom any time coming back from the hospital, which regrettably washes Hannibal’s scent off of him too. He feels mentally and emotionally drained, but also a little better. Maybe he’s not as alone as he thought, Hannibal really seems to care for him. Unfortunately this new information makes Will second guess his feelings even more. He was thinking of asking Hannibal out, potential consequences of not waiting a year be damned, but he’s not sure he is ready to risk losing this source of stability and comfort over a crush. It is just a crush isn’t it? Ugh, his head feels too full so he lays down and falls asleep, unconsciously gravitating towards his shirt that still smells like Hannibal, and is pleasantly surprised that he doesn’t have any nightmares. 

*

As Hannibal drives home, he feels torn. On the one hand Hannibal wants to ask Will out now more than ever, but on the other hand he recognizes that now is not the time. Will is obviously in a vulnerable state. But Hannibal vows that soon, once Will is more stable, he will ask. He’s tired of waiting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥♥♥ Big hugs to all who have left kudos, or comments!! ♥♥♥
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
>   

> 
> **Notes:**  
  
\- SPOILER ALERT: THEY FINALLY GET TOGETHER IN THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! yessssss! ^_^  
\- When I wrote the part with Will dreaming and unable to speak I was channeling my own experiences with sleep paralysis.  
  
**Terms:**  
  
**Ambien** \- prescription sleep medication, GABA activator, usually for short term insomnia  
**Belsomra **\- prescription sleep medication, sedative hypnotic  
**Benadryl** \- antihistamine medication (for allergies) but also causes sleepiness/grogginess  
**Benzos**\- short for benzodiazapines which are a class of prescription medications including tranquilizers such as Xanex and Valium  
**Cardiomyopathy**\- disease of the heart muscle that leads to weakening  
**Carotid endarterctomy**\- surgical procedure that cuts open and cleans out artery in the neck  
**ECMO**\- short for extra corporeal manual oxygenation, its a huge machine that works like a heart and lungs (I saw one when I interned at a children's hospital it was insane)  
**EKG **\- short for electrocardiogram, a way to measure heart rhythm, makes that spiky earthquake graph looking thing (fun fact, also called ECG, the K is from the german spelling)  
**GABA**\- an inhibitory neurotransmitter in the brain  
**Histamine**\- an compound in the body released during injury, allergy, or inflammation  
**Hypertension** \- chronic high blood pressure  
**Hypnotics**\- a class of prescription sleep-inducing medications  
**Melatonin** \- a hormone that regulates sleep/wake cycle, sold over the counter as a supplement  
**Off-label** \- a reason a medication is prescribed other than what it is intended for by the manufacturer  
**OR** \- short for operating room  
**Orexin-inhibitor** \- orexin is a compound related to wakefulness (and other things) so an inhibitor of that would be a medication that suppresses wakefulness which should hopefully help with sleep, a class of sleep medications  
**Ramelteon** \- a prescription sleep medication, helps with melatonin receptors  
**Restoril** \- a prescription sedative sleep medication in the benzo category  
**Scrub in** \- procedure surgeons use before a surgery to wash thoroughly  
**Secondary to (2/2)** \- medical way of saying "this was caused by"  
**Trazodone** \- a prescription medication for depression that can also be used for insomnia  



	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hannibal gets cold feet, Will gets some good advice, and our boys FINALLY GET TOGETHER!!! 😉🎉 Yessssss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> oh god this is it!!! I hope all the waiting was worth it 🤞🏻😉 and as usual medical terminology is at the end

All weekend Hannibal is haunted by the kiss Will unknowingly gave him during his hallucination. He knows he needs to tell him, especially if he's going to ask him out - which he still plans to do. He may not have a lot of relationship experience, but he knows that no good relationship can start out with deception, no matter how minor. And a lie of omission is still a lie. And he wants nothing to get in the way of his relationship with Will, because if Will does agree to go out with him, Hannibal suspects Will would be a relationship with a capital R. 

Hannibal spends all weekend envisioning different ways to tell Will about it, trying to anticipate his reaction which is both frustratingly difficult and also refreshing. Part of his endless fascination with Will Graham is that he is constantly surprised by him, he truly can never quite figure him out. But he wants to try, oh god does he want to try. He wants to get as close to Will as possible, mentally, physically...he could spend days, weeks, months, years getting to know Will and suspects he still would not be satisfied. The logical part of his brain warns him not to get his hopes up, because like himself, Will is human, which comes with a guarantee of flaws and shortcomings. But despite the warning, he can’t bring himself to stop his hopes from rising sky high, because as soon as Will has recovered from his sleeping issue, Hannibal plans to ask him out. And he hopes for the best - that Will will say yes.

*

Ironically Will’s sleep has significantly improved since his unsuccessful attempt at using a sleeping medication. Will wonders if it’s possible he just needed to let out some of the bottled up emotion he had? He’s pretty sure it doesn’t work that way, but amazingly over the weekend he has no nightmares at all! In fact he even managed to sleep all the way through the night one night (something he hasn’t managed in years), and the other night he woke up only once from a very pleasant Hannibal sex dream and was able to fall back asleep relatively quickly after jerking off. All in all it’s a big improvement, and come Monday morning he feels well rested and hopeful. 

*

Monday morning arrives, and Hannibal is delighted that Will looks back to his normal radiant self. Gone are the dark circles under his eyes. And gone is the distant, sad, vulnerable man he consoled in a room just down the hall. It’s a massive relief as it allays any lingering doubts he has about asking Will out. He decides to wait until after work - it’ll give him time to decide the best way to go about it.

Mid-morning Hannibal gets a phone call from Gideon asking him to come to his office at lunch because they have some time-sensitive business to discuss. Before he hangs up he is given specific instructions to _ not _ bring Will with him. _ Hmm that’s odd. _ He’s a little disappointed that he doesn’t get to spend his lunch hour with Will, but when Gideon drops Crawford’s name he knows there’s no way out of it. Therefore, when lunch hour hits he makes his way (alone) down to Gideon’s office. When he reaches it Gideon is at his desk finishing what looks like a grab-and-go sandwich from the cafeteria.

Around a mouthful he says, “Hannibal, mm, please come in, sit down. Oh close the door, would you?” Gideon wipes his hands, brushes the crumbs off of his chest, and assumes a more formal posture.

“What can I do for you Abel?” Hannibal asks as he sits down.

“Two things, Hannibal, I’ll keep it short. First, Crawford wants you to do a final review of the Randall Tier article before we submit it for publishing. I’ll email it to you, think you can send it back by the end of the day?”

“Sure,” Hannibal says, confused why this required a face to face meeting. “Did Chilton and Sutcliffe review it already?”

Gideon presses on his temples as he replies. “Yes they most certainly did. Thankfully Dr. Chilton is officially off the case now that Randall passed his psychological evaluation. Do you realize he’s made nearly a full recovery? And still improving? It’s incredible. And thank god, because to be honest I’ve had enough of Dr. Chilton for the rest of the year.”

“There's not much year left,” Hannibal says wryly.

“Oh god why did you have to remind me? The blasted Christmas party is soon isn't it?! Fuck...anyway, so I also called you down here because its been over four months, I need to do your quarterly review for your resident. It’s been an age since we’ve done one, hasn't it?” Gideon says with a sarcastic chuckle. Outwardly Hannibal smiles mildly, but on the inside he’s chastising himself; it’s not often he forgets things, but in this moment he realizes he did completely forget about the mandatory quarterly reviews for residents. “But I’m sure you remember the drill. I’m just going to go down the checklist…” Gideon says. From here he proceeds to ask Hannibal about thirty questions assessing how Will is performing as a resident. Most are easy for Hannibal to answer as Will is the model resident in many ways. However at the end, Gideon asks, 

“Any ethical concerns with your resident?”

“No, none.”

“I’m mandated to ask this, have you experienced any sexual harassment from your resident?” 

Hannibal’s mind runs wild for a moment, flashes of Will kissing him, before he answers honestly, “No.” The kiss wasn’t harassment, for one it was a medical reaction, and it also was _very_ welcome. 

“Okay, that’s it. Sign here please,” Gideon says as he indicates the line on the form. “And do me a favor, tell Will to come see me sometime this week, I have to meet with him to do his form. Don’t forget,_ you_ get evaluated too!” Gideon says as he puts the form away. 

For the second time today Hannibal curses his normally cogent mind - how could he forget? Of course Will will get asked a very similar set of questions. Gideon is going to ask Will if he’s performing ethically as an attending physician...and if he’s experienced any sexual harassment from him… _ Oh god _ ...the memory of them waking up together on Friday pops into his mind. His erection was definitely pressing into the young doctor's lower back. _ Will wouldn’t tell Gideon that, would he? No, of course not. Will didn’t seem upset...he was so grateful for his help, and fearful of losing his residency_... but the nagging thought that Hannibal isn’t 100% sure worries him. Just when he thinks he understands the boy he goes and surprises him.

As Hannibal leaves Gideon’s office, he starts seriously reconsidering his plan to ask Will out._ Fuck, Will is still his resident. And they have to go through three more of these reviews! What if Will reported him for sexual harassment for asking him out? Or worse yet, what if he does ask him out and Will wants to say no but says yes to keep his position? He all but admitted how important the residency is to him...hmm he’ll have to think about this some more. _All of his thoughts and fears are enough to make him second guess his plan. In the end, Hannibal decides he’ll take some time to think about it. After all, what’s the rush?

The following day, Hannibal arranges for Will to do his first procedure independently since his sleeping problem. It’s a procedure they've done many times together and he’s confident Will can do it on his own. The young Alpha continues to look well rested too, so Hannibal has no qualms sending him on his way. In a way he wants Will to be able to assess his own readiness now that he knows what it feels like when he's not; in order to be a successful surgeon he can’t rely on other people to make those decisions for him. And despite loving being near Will, he can’t deny that he really could use some space to process his thoughts about the young doctor.

*

As instructed, Will walks over to meet up with nephrologist Dr. Clark Ingram. He’s a little surprised at how trusting Hannibal is of him doing this procedure without supervision, but he feels ready and wants to honor Hannibal’s confidence in him. His task is to place a central venous catheter in a patient with newly diagnosed kidney failure so that he can start dialysis. When he arrives in MedSurg, he asks the charge nurse where he can find Dr. Ingram and is directed to a man at one of the computers on the other side. 

“Dr. Ingram?” Will asks.

“Yes.”

Will sticks out his hand, “I’m Dr. Graham, Dr. Lecter’s resident. I’m here to do the CVC placement.” The doctor shakes his hand briefly, before saying,

“Oh I’m so sorry you had to come all the way down here Doctor, but the patient is refusing.”

“What? But why? If he doesn’t get dialysis then he’ll die...” Will says, confused.

“Yes I know, it's been explained to him,” Dr. Ingram says somewhat patronizingly; instantly Will decides that he doesn’t like this man very much, he talks like he has no compassion at all. “But of course if you want to talk to him, be my guest.” And with that he stands and walks away without waiting for a response, clearly not caring what the outcome of this endeavor is. Will may only be a resident but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t make sure that the patient fully understands the decision he is making.

Will does a brief review of the chart, learning seventy-seven year old patient Rinaldo Pazzi was admitted for shortness of breath and weakness. His workup found he was in stage five kidney failure. The notes say they did emergency dialysis in the ER through a Quinton catheter (which has since been removed) which stabilized him. He looks over his labs and his osmolarity and electrolytes do look much better, but his eGFR is so low the patient won’t be able to live much longer without either dialysis or a kidney transplant. And sadly most transplant centers aren’t accepting patients above seventy-five unless they have a living donor, which most patients don’t. So practically this man’s only chance is dialysis. And seventy-seven isn’t excessively old, he likely has many more years in him, especially if he gets his diabetes and high blood pressure under control, both of which look markedly improved from where they were on admission.

Research done, Will heads to room 12 bed A to meet Rinaldo Pazzi. He hadn’t given much conscious thought to what he expected when he entered the room, but he reflects later that it was definitely not a cheerful, energetic, smiling, and talkative man sitting up in bed, excited to see him. 

“Uh...Rinaldo Pazzi?” Will asks.

“Yes! And you are?”

Will pauses a moment, trying to reconcile the poor numbers he saw in the chart with the friendly chipper bearded Italian man before him. “Uh, Dr. Will Graham, surgical resident. Dr. Ingram says you’re refusing to have a CVC placed, is that correct?”

“Dr. Graham!” The patient sticks out his hand to shake and Will steps closer, taking his hand. He is surprised when the patient’s other hand covers their clasped hands, holding him there, but it’s with a feeling of genuine sincerity, that odd quality jovial Italian men tend to have. “It is a pleasure to meet you, truly. So you came to talk to an old fart like me, eh?” he says with a chuckle, before finally letting go of his hand.

Will laughs a little good-naturedly. “Uh yes, I wanted to talk to you about your decision to refuse the procedure. Did Dr. Ingram explain all your options? And the prognosis of each?”

The friendly look vanishes off of the patient’s face at the mention of Dr. Ingram, and Will takes that as further proof that his assessment of said doctor was correct. _ Bastard. _“Yes, yes, the unfriendly man tells me I will die if I don’t do it. And do you know what I tell him?” he says, gesturing passionately with his hands. 

“No,” Will says.

“That is fine!”

“That’s fine?” Will parrots incredulously.

“Yes, I have lived a full life. I have no regrets, it is my time. And what better way to go to God than while I still have a smile on my face? Hm? Why can’t death be as happy as life?” he explains in his Italian accent.

“Uh...that’s one way to look at it,” Will says, really feeling his lack of experience at end-of-life conversations right now. “But, I just want to make sure you understand all of your options. You have every right to let nature take its course, but you also could likely live many more years with a good quality of life on dialysis. Or if you have a family member willing to donate a kidney-”

The patient interrupts him, “Dr. Graham, do you have children?”

Will is confused at the turn of the conversation but answers automatically, “No, I don’t.”

“Do you have someone you love?”

Will colors a moment, image of Hannibal flashing in his mind when he heard the word _love_. It is in that moment he realizes that his feelings for Hannibal are not just a crush - he is in love with him. _ Holy shit. _ “Yes,” he says after a beat, a little quieter than he intended which causes the patient to smile.

“Well imagine, if you can, Dr. Graham, asking your loved one to give you a kidney. Hm? Now try to imagine yourself my age, at the end of your life, asking your loved one for such a thing...” He pauses and Will thinks, realizing yes he can see how that would be a tough conversation to have.

“Yes, I admit that would be a difficult conversation. But surely your family loves you. Even if they don’t donate to you, wouldn’t they want you around longer?” Will asks, hoping he’s not making too many assumptions but at a loss for what else to say.

“Oh you know Italian families Dr. Graham, our blood is thicker than water. Yes my family loves me, but because they love me they will respect my decision. My wife passed three years ago-”

“I’m sorry,” Will says automatically, knowing first hand the pain caused by the death of a loved one.

“Thank you. And my children, they are grown with their own families. Life has come full circle and my circle is at its end. And to be honest Dr. Graham, I am ready. I am ready to be with my wife again. I am not afraid of dying. I had my time here and I did everything I wanted to do. Every. Damn. Thing. What is it you kids say now? Yollo? You only have one life?” He gestures wildly with his hands as if he can summon the correct phrase out of the air by Italian magic.

“YOLO?” Will asks with a laugh, surprised to hear the older man using such slang. “You only live once.”

“Yes!” The patient lights up, pointing at him. Like most Italian men he constantly gestures with his hands as he speaks, which Will finds charming. “Yes, that is the one! I yolo-ed my life because you never know what tomorrow will bring. I was sure I would kick the bucket before my wife, but God had a different plan didn’t He? My whole life I never let one single opportunity go to waste. Good or bad. My biggest fear was having regrets. And can you believe I did it? How many people can say that, hm?”

The words surprisingly sting Will as he hears them, hitting too close to home. Heaven forbid, what it something happened to Hannibal? Or to him? What if Hannibal started dating someone else? Moved away? Died? Would he regret not trying? He doesn’t even have to give it thought - of course _ YES _ is the answer. His eyes water just at the thought of losing Hannibal to some unknown force before he’s even had a chance to make his feelings known. His feelings may not be reciprocated, but in this moment he realizes he is 100% sure he’d rather tell Hannibal and be rejected than to wait a moment longer for fear of regret. Isn’t there a word for that too? FOMO? Fear of missing out? He smiles and shakes his head, trying to get a hold on his emotions.

“Not many,” Will finally answers. “Not me,” he adds, a little softer.

“Hey,” the patient says, getting his attention. “The good thing about life, Dr. Graham, is that it’s what you make it. It’s within your power to seize the opportunities in front of you. I know you can do it.”

Will smiles, first empowered by the words, and then subsequently feels a little foolish that he’s getting dating advice and a pep talk from a patient with whom he’s supposed to be discussing end of life decisions.

“Thank you,” Will says sincerely. “So you’re sure?” Will asks, shifting the focus off of himself, needing to hear the words for his own peace of mind.

“Yes Dr. Graham, I am sure,” he says, looking right in his eyes.

“Alright, well if it’s okay with you I’d like to have you meet with a hospice agency. They’re a great support, even if you don’t need them. I want you as comfortable as you can be.”

“Whatever you say, Doctor,” the patient says with a wink. “I will talk to these people if you think it is best.”

“I do,” Will says. He happens to glance at the clock and _ holy shit he’s been in here nearly two hours! _“I’ll consult them now, once you speak to them they’ll facilitate your discharge, okay?”

“Okay.”

“And please, Mr. Pazzi, have the nurse page me if you need anything.”

“Thank you Doctor,” the patient says, holding out his hand again. Will takes it and shakes, getting a little misty eyed, realizing this may be the last time he talks with this man. Will nods, not trusting his voice. As he turns to leave the patient calls out, “Oh and Doctor?”

Will turns back, “Yes?”

“Don’t wait...get your dream,” he says with a wink. Will manages a nod before he exits the room, stopping a few paces into the hallway. He takes some deep breaths, trying to get his emotions under control. The words haunt him. Surely Mr. Pazzi can’t know about how often he dreams of Hannibal...and he surely couldn’t have known his fear of pursuing the opportunity for love in front of him. And now he’s sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that what he feels for Hannibal is love. Whether or not it’s reciprocated is another story completely, but as he slowly walks back after writing the hospice consult order, he tries to process everything into some semblance of sense.

Will was honestly touched by Mr. Pazzi’s words, in fact they are making him question how he has lived his life up until now. He realizes that he wants to do more, and in fact has many regrets already. But rather than dwelling on it, he focuses on what he_ can_ control. As he continues walking back to Hannibal’s office, he lets his mind wander freely. What if he died tomorrow? Or what if Hannibal died? Or got married? Hell, anything can happen at any time - the thought itself is nearly overwhelming. But at the root of it all, what Mr. Pazzi said to him rings true. You have to grasp every opportunity you are given. Anything can happen and it’s never going to be the perfect time, life isn't perfect. But love finds a way, it’s tenacious like that. The way Will feels about Hannibal certainly feels tenacious. It feels like since day one he’s been falling further and further for this man. Why should he let fear rule his life? He vows that starting right now he’s not going to let important opportunities pass him by. His heart beats faster as Hannibal’s office comes into view.

*

As soon as Will left, Hannibal began trying to sort through his thoughts and feelings, figure out what the smartest course of action is. He can’t deny the obvious answer is to wait until the end of the year to ask Will out. Anything else comes with risk both to himself and the young doctor. After about an hour and a half of pondering this, he happens to glance at the clock and is surprised Will isn’t back yet. CVC placement takes 30-45 minutes, an hour tops if there are complications. His first worry is what if something went wrong. Out of reflex he checks his pager but there are no pages. _Surely Will would call him if something happened?_ Hannibal’s blood chills for a moment, worried now that maybe Will fell asleep again? _Maybe he really does need more help._ His mind runs wild a moment before he reigns it in. No, he has to trust Will. Will can’t grow while being micromanaged or coddled. He gets to work reading the case study draft and tries (somewhat successfully) to keep Will out of his mind for the time being.

*

Will takes a breath to clear his mind and then walks into Hannibal’s office, seeing him sat at the computer. Normally he would sit down, but this feels like too important of a conversation to be sitting for. Maybe it’s the perceived power difference that comes from standing, but he feels like he needs every handicap right now.

“Will, how did it go?” Hannibal asks him, leaning back from the computer, giving him his full attention.

“The patient refused,” Will says, seeing Hannibal’s eyebrows rise. “I talked to him myself to verify, heard his reasons.”

“Well, that’s certainly a surprise, though not unheard of,” Hannibal says. Will takes a moment, staring at the beautiful man in front of him, rallying his courage for this moment, this opportunity. He’s not going to let it pass him by. He steps closer to Hannibal, just the desk between them, doing his best to maintain eye contact.

“Look, I know I shouldn't say this, I know it’s inappropriate, but I don’t want to wait to ask you this and I don’t want to regret not saying anything...I'd really like it if we went out...on a date. But if you don’t want to I don’t want to make things weird-”

“Yes,” Hannibal interrupts, causing Will’s words to halt dead in their tracks. Did he really hear what he thinks he just heard? “Yes I’d like that too.” Hannibal stands from his seat, the one inch he has over Will felt even from the distance of the desk between them. In that moment Will could swear he felt electricity crackling between them as they smile stupidly at one another. Truthfully Will didn’t think much about getting this far, so he somewhat awkwardly breaks the growing tension. 

“Umm...dinner? Tonight?” Will says for lack of any other ideas. Hannibal walks around the desk, bringing his warm spicy scent with him. He takes Will’s hands in his own, causing all the breath to leave his body.

“That sounds lovely, I look forward to it,” Hannibal says as he brings their joined hands to his lips. The kiss is feather light but Will could have sworn he was electrocuted. Just as quick as it happened, Hannibal is releasing his hand and Will can barely breathe. His skin tingles where Hannibal's lips just were. A moment later his brain seems to catch up. _ Holy fuck he said yes!! They’re going on a date! _

“Me too,” Will says, smiling, feeling heat rise in his cheeks. 

The rest of the workday feels like a loaded gun. They both constantly watch each other, trading shy smiles. Will is reeling, _ is he really going on a date with the Chief of Surgery? With an Alpha male? _ He can't believe it, is it really this easy? Surely there's a catch. It’s certainly a risk, but if his patient taught him anything it's to live life to the fullest. When it’s time to leave they walk out together, naturally coming to a stop where their paths diverge. 

“Did you have a place in mind for dinner?” Hannibal asks, standing more in Will’s personal space than he usually does. Will basks in the intimacy of their proximity before realizing he’s been asked a question.

“Uh no…” Will says, hand coming to the back of his neck, feeling stupid. How could he not have thought of where they are going?!? _ Real smooth Graham. _ Honestly he was so surprised Hannibal said yes that he didn't think any further, despite the fact that he's literally been thinking of nothing else since he heard Hannibal say that small word - _ yes_. Thankfully, Hannibal saves him from his lack of preparation.

“Well if I may make a suggestion, I’d love to take you back to Penny Black...last time our evening was _ cut short_.” 

Will blushes, remembering exactly why it was _ cut short_. “Uh yeah, that's fine.” Will mentally kicks himself - he’s a fucking Alpha male, why is he acting like a blushing virgin? He remembers a quote he heard once about nervousness...something like ‘you're only nervous when you really want something’...and he supposes it makes sense - he _ really wants _ Hannibal.

“Can I pick you up, maybe at six thirty?” Hannibal asks. Will nods, and when he gives him his address, Hannibal's eyes widen. “You live right here?” he asks, surprised.

“Um yeah, most of the residents do. I walk to and from work. Where do you live?”

“About twenty minutes from here. Well, I’ll see you then Will,” Hannibal says as he kisses his hand again. Will couldn’t stop the smile that blooms on his face if he tried, unable to believe his good luck. 

*

As Hannibal parts ways with Will, he smiles to himself. He loves being the cause of the adorable blush that floated across Will’s face just now. However, a moment later his smile vanishes as he realizes the predicament he’s in. He needs to tell Will about the kiss. But how? Surely he can’t just blurt out, “You kissed me when you were hallucinating and I didn’t tell you.” Of course Will would be mad...or embarrassed. Or both. And he doesn’t want their first date to be their only date… He checks his watch and realizes he has about two hours to come up with something. With those thoughts in mind he gets in his car and drives home.

After his shower, Hannibal decides on a silvery gray dress shirt and dark gray slacks. As he buttons his shirt, he reflects on how this is the first time he can recall being nervous for date. Historically dating has not been for pleasure, it has always had a purpose behind it. But not tonight, tonight’s purpose is solely for the pleasure of Will’s company, in whatever form that takes. He just hopes he can figure out how to tell him about the kiss sooner than later so hopefully they can kiss properly. 

*

As Will walks home he feels surreal, _ is this really happening? _Is he making a mistake? Fuck, even if he is he can’t care right now, he’s too happy. He showers the hospitalness away, and ponders what to wear, deciding on his blue dress shirt and black slacks, doing the best to tame his hair and giving it up as a lost cause, letting the curls fall where they may. He decides to wear contacts though, not wanting anything between himself and Hannibal.

When the older Alpha picks him up, Will is shocked as he gets into a Bentley! He’s never seen one in real life - _ fuck how much do Chiefs of Surgery make? _ He guesses a lot, and while the seat is super comfortable, he can’t deny the discrepancy in wealth between them is staggering to him. However his nerves are calmed when Hannibal slides his hand into his own after he pulls out into traffic, a warm steady presence as they drive the short distance to Penny Black.

When they arrive Will feels like he’s living in a dream, like its a do-over from last time. A different maître d’ seats them, and he internally revels at the fact that this time they _really are on a date_. Instead of being seated near the bar like last time, they are sat in a booth on the restaurant side of the establishment. They sit on opposite sides of the booth and Will is a little disappointed until he finds Hannibal's leg under the table with his own. It’s a move as old as time but he smiles at the contact, enjoying Hannibal’s look of surprise. In response Will shoots him a sly look. He's normally terrible at flirting, but everything feels different with Hannibal - like he can just be himself and do what he wants, so he does, relying on instinct. It’s like a dam has been released inside of him; he feels unburdened from having to hold back his feelings anymore and his inner Alpha relishes the freedom, ready to go after what he wants.

To Will’s pleasant surprise, Hannibal keeps his leg pressed to his and winks at him, causing him to blush again. Damn just when he thinks he’s getting the upper hand, Hannibal turns the tables. And he loves it. He’s never felt this unbalanced with someone, yet also so incredibly happy; he relishes how they are both equally skilled at taking on the dominant role. It’s a novel feeling, and he can’t get enough of these subtle reminders. Before he can get too lost in the pleasant intimacy of their legs pressed together, the server comes. They order drinks, and shortly after when their drinks arrive they order their food, their conversation flowing smoothly between them.

*

Since the moment he picked Will up, Hannibal has felt nearly out of control. His sweet lily of the valley scent filled the car instantly, making it hard for him to think. He’s surprised at how quickly they have developed an easy intimacy in the few hours since Will asked him out. For example, he thought nothing of sliding his hand into Will’s when he saw the concerned look on his face; it was intuitive in a way he has never felt before with a partner, unconsciously desiring to offer comfort. Throughout his life he’s heard others describe the feeling of being in love, or one's nature guiding them to do something - usually along typical guidelines of Alphas providing for Omegas or Omegas caring for Alphas. However Hannibal has never really understood the feeling...or at least not until now. Hannibal is well aware that being an Alpha, he has instincts to protect and comfort his mate. Objectively he knows Will needs no protection from him, but he can’t deny he craves not only his comfort, but also both his dominance and submission - not necessarily in a sexual sense - but more of the equal trade they have been volleying since they met. It feels innately right, like this is the type of partner he has always wanted but didn’t know existed.

He is honestly surprised when Will’s leg finds his own under the table and by the playful look that is shot his way. He feels head over heels for this interesting man who never fails to surprise him. It almost seems too good to be true as they drink and eat together, the conversation coming easily. He knows he needs to bring up the kiss but he doesn’t want to break the perfect evening they have going. The wine he’s drinking bolsters his courage, so as a warm up, he asks,

“Why did you break up with Margot?” He’s been insanely curious and it seems like it’s okay to ask now. He’s been wondering ever since he found out, although he belatedly recognizes it’s usually bad form to ask about exes on first dates. In response, Will sets down his fork and takes his hand from across the table. His thumb brushes over his skin creating a pleasant tingling sensation, enhanced by the buzz he has going.

*

“Ummm fuck...there were a few reasons. But to be honest my feelings for you were the main reason.” They’re both on their third drink and Will feels loose tongued, open and free. He recognizes after the fact he just said the f-word to his attending physician, but he's also been playing footsie with him for the past hour or so and he doesn't look like he minds either. Speaking of Margot, Will makes a mental note to call her soon.

“Is that so?” Hannibal asks, looking at him flirtatiously. “And how long have you had these feelings?” 

Will swallows._ Fuck. _ “Umm, well I felt an attraction to you from day one and it’s evolved every day, so I can't really say when it turned from a crush into something more…” Will blushes, wishing he could retract the words as soon as they leave his mouth. _ Real smooth Graham, way to scare a guy off on a first date, declare your undying love for him. _ He decides to strategically change the subject, asking, “Why did you break up with Dr. Bloom?”

*

After hearing the question turned back at him, Hannibal can’t help looking away for a moment, concerned about how best to answer honestly but also not scare Will. “That is a little more complicated...I don't want to scare you Will but I haven't dated much for romance. I tried it when I was younger, and to be completely honest every single person I dated was incredibly boring. They might be pretty, or nice, or good in bed, but I never missed them when they weren't there...do you understand?”

*

“Yes I think so…” Will says, getting scared despite Hannibal's disclaimer.

“So the primary reason I dated Alana was for my rut. After that I continued to date her for the Awards Dinner. I made it clear what it was, I value honesty and never would lead someone on...” As Hannibal talks, Will is getting more and more worried. What if Hannibal is about to tell him the same thing? He knew this was too good to be true! 

“Is that what should scare me?” Will asks, mouth dry. In response Hannibal smirks, rubbing his hand gently. It’s hard for Will to breathe, he doesn't know if he can take being rejected now.

“Well yes, that and...that so far you are the exception...I _ don't _ find you boring, I _ do _ find you attractive, and I suspect you're good in bed…” he says with a smirk before his expression becomes more serious, “...but most importantly, I _ do _ miss you when you're not with me. I crave your presence like I've never craved anothers...I-"

“And you think that will scare me?” Will interrupts, not daring to believe what he thinks he is hearing.

“I don't know, does it?”

Will shakes his head, trying and failing to hold back his smile. He’s already addicted to the idea of being Hannibal's exception, and right now his inner Alpha he wants to mark his claim. Instead, he squeezes Hannibal’s hand, looks into his eyes, and says, “No...no it doesn’t.” The older doctor's eyes widen in surprise as strong fingers squeeze his hand back in acknowledgement. The magic of the moment is broken by the server appearing to clear their plates, forcing their hands separate. They both take the opportunity to order one more drink.

Shortly after, Hannibal excuses himself to the restroom. Will drinks the last of his drink, reflecting on his good fortune, and lamenting how much time they wasted. Idiots they are. But they are here now so he can hardly complain. He takes the opportunity to text Margot, wanting to share his happiness with someone; he can’t recall ever being this happy; in fact he feels filled with happiness almost to bursting, enhanced by the solid buzz he has going. He types out ‘_I’m on a date with Hannibal!! ;) we’ll talk soon_’ and clicks send, smiling, sure his phone will be blowing up soon. 

The next thing he knows Hannibal is sliding into his side of the booth, placing an arm around him as the server drops off their drinks. Will can’t help the blush that rises to his cheeks as the server smiles at them knowingly. The older Alpha nods at the phone as Will puts it away. “What has you smiling so beautifully, hm? Do I need to be jealous?” Hannibal asks, accent a little heavier than usual, presumably due to the alcohol. He himself definitely feels buzzed, if not drunk; he suspects Hannibal is probably the same.

“Uh no...no need to be jealous,” Will replies, smiling at the idea of Hannibal jealous over him - are his dreams coming true? It feels like it, just like Pazzi told him. “I just texted Margot that I’m on a date with you.” For a second he panics, not really having thought it through, processing his worry verbally. “Uh, I hope that was okay. Fuck I didn’t even think about the fact that she works at the hospital too. Because we have to keep this secret huh?”

Hannibal takes his face in both of his warm hands, focusing him. “Will, look at me. It’s fine, calm down. I’m sure Margot will be discreet. If what Anthony says true, ours is not the only romance between employees.” Hannibal’s words do calm him, and he subsequently swoons at the word _ romance _ applying to him and Hannibal in the older doctor's mellifluous voice. He leans more fully into Hannibal's hand, and as stereotypical as it is to say, he really does feel like time slows. The moment is pregnant with potential and he's so sure Hannibal is going to kiss him. His heart rate increases and his eyes feel ready to close, heavy with alcohol and emotion. However time ticks on and the anticipated kiss doesn’t come. Like earlier, Will decides to take matters into his own hands, so to speak; his inner Alpha is all but screaming at him to claim what he wants, what is apparently being offered to him, what he thought he could never have.

He brings a hand to Hannibal’s jaw, feeling the rough hint of five o’clock shadow under his fingertips, somehow making this all the more real. As he slowly tries to bring their mouths together, he experiences a strange sense of deja vous, almost as if he’s in a dream. He is subsequently disappointed (and a little hurt) when Hannibal backs away, holding his hands down. In his drunken state he can’t help but feel foolish, the embarrassment of rejection making him recoil from the embrace, unable to meet Hannibal’s eyes.

“Will,” Hannibal says, voice slurred from the alcohol. Hannibal squeezes his hands to get him to look up. When he does Will braces himself because Hannibal looks tense. _ Fuck _ he knew this was too good to be true. His dejection must show on his face because Hannibal implores, “Wait, please, there's something you need to know.” Now Will’s interest is piqued because his tone doesn’t sound like a rejection. His hope and despair are in a holding pattern, waiting on Hannibal’s next words.

“What?” he asks, swallowing, watching as Hannibal take a breath and looks down before he speaks.

“When you were hallucinating...I...I didn't tell you everything. That night...you kissed me.” The words hang in the air between them and Will’s drunken mind takes a few seconds to comprehend what he is hearing. _ He did what? _

*

“I did?” Will asks, sounding shocked; however Hannibal takes it as a good sign that he doesn’t pull away any further. He had felt on cloud nine, coming back from the restroom, seeing Will’s gorgeous smile and thought nothing of sliding into the booth next to him. His happiness grew by infinite measures when Will, his gorgeous Alpha resident, took his face in his warm hands and tried to kiss him. For the second time it took all of his willpower to pull away; the worry of Will’s reaction to the truth bolstered his strength but didn’t make it feel any better. Knowing he has no other option, he braces himself to tell the truth, hoping that it doesn’t ruin the magical evening they've had so far.

*

“Yes,” Hannibal says.

Between Hannibal’s fingers gently caressing his own (which is entirely pleasant but also distracting), the alcohol coursing through his veins, and the confusing words Hannibal is telling him, Will is having trouble focusing.

“I’m sorry I didn't tell you. I didn't know if you even knew it was me, and when you didn’t remember…” Will nods, understanding but can’t help blushing in embarrassment. Part of him wants to be angry at Hannibal for withholding this from him, but the other part of him feels like how can he be angry when this is where they are right now? “It took all of my self control to push you away,” Hannibal continues. As he speaks Hannibal slowly leans forward, pressing their cheeks together. Will’s heart is beating a mile a minute in his chest at the proximity_._

Hannibal’s hands finally release his own and one comes to rest on his neck - it’s intimate. Will places one of his newly freed hands on Hannibal's muscular arm; he brings the other to Hannibal’s neck, dipping his fingertips into the soft hair at his nape, delighted in the sharp inhale it elicits - it’s empowering.

“I’m jealous,” Will says softly, close to Hannibal's ear.

The older doctor pulls back just enough to look into his eyes, but their faces remain close, breath intermingling between them. He wears a confused expression, something Will doesn’t see on Hannibal often. “Why?”

Feeling bold, Will runs his thumb over Hannibal's bottom lip. He softens his touch over the split part, reflecting how he did that to this man - this man cares about him enough to take a hit. But he was right - he handled Will just fine. “You know what it feels like when we kiss, I don’t remember it...I'd like to remedy that…” Will says, finally succeeding in closing the small distance between their lips.

*

Hannibal has no time to respond before the young Alpha in front of him is kissing him - voluntarily and with sound mind - and its infinitely sweeter than last time. At first it’s just a press of lips, tender and sweet, as Will cradles his head. His nostrils are flooded with Will’s floral scent when he inhales, stronger than he’s ever smelled it, and he feels drunk not only on alcohol but with lust for the young man in front of him. Just as he finds clarity to do more than accept the kiss offered to him, Will pulls back to look at him, and Hannibal has never been in anyone's thrall like this. Will smiles at him beautifully, eyes glossy, before his hands tilt Hannibal’s face and he leans back in. Hannibal is surprised yet again by Will when he gently kisses the wound on his lip before pulling back again, gaze half-lidded. It’s the most gorgeous sight Hannibal has ever seen, and it finally flips some sort of switch inside of him.

This time Hannibal takes charge of the kiss, licking along the seam of Will’s delectable lips. He is rewarded by the heavenly feeling of the younger Alpha's mouth opening against his own. Greedy, he deepens the kiss, forgetting where they are - nothing matters right now except the two of them together. At the first contact of their tongues Hannibal tries to hold back a groan, not totally successful. He can’t recall ever feeling this out of control with a partner, but he supposes he can't say that anymore - Will Graham is undoing him.

Their mouths get to know one another just has their minds already have. Hannibal tastes the whiskey in Will’s mouth and it reminds him of the last time they were here. Those thoughts have Hannibal groaning into their kiss, feeling the momentum of their encounter accelerating. He can feel himself getting hard and wonders if Will is in the same state. Pausing to take a breath he reluctantly breaks the kiss, nosing along Will’s jaw to his ear. The younger Alpha's hands grasp at his arms, keeping him close and he loves it. He inhales at Will’s neck, taking in his scent directly from the source, it’s heavenly. 

“Mmm Will…”

“Yes Hannibal...” Will says, clawing at his shirt - the desperation in his tone is music to his ears; they really probably should leave, but Hannibal isn't going to waste an opportunity like this - there is a reason he suggested they come back here after all.

“Do you remember the last time we were here? Sat in a booth just like this?” he whispers near Will’s ear, delighted at the shiver that passes over the young doctor’s body.

“Ye-yes…”

“Were you aroused, sitting next to me?” Hannibal asks, the double intoxication from Will and the alcohol making the words escape his mouth before he can think better of it. He barely has a moment to worry though before Will’s reply makes the slip worth it.

“Yes, I was,” Will says breathily, skin flushing at Hannibal’s words.

“Mm you don't know how much I wanted to leave with you...” Hannibal says, continuing to nuzzle behind Will’s ear. Hannibal feels wild, out of control. He wants Will to know everything, wants him to know just how much he undoes him just by existing. He may regret this later but right now he does something he never does - he relies on instinct, doing what feels right. And everything about Will feels right.

*

Wills eyes fly open in disbelief at hearing those words, gasping as he pulls back. “You did?” His drunk mind is reeling. Hannibal wanted to leave with him?!? It’s an overwhelming thought, but in the best way.

“Yes, I didn't want you going to Margot,” Hannibal says, tone colored with jealousy.

“I didn't,” Will says seriously, surprised at his desire to soothe the jealousy he hears, and yet also relishing it. _ Hannibal was jealous over him? Hannibal has wanted to be with him this whole time?!? Idiots they are. _ Will sees the moment it clicks for Hannibal that they were already broken up, Hannibal letting out a small growl at the missed opportunity. They really were both so stupid. Will shivers at the growl, goosebumps breaking out over his flesh, thinking that’s probably the sexiest thing he’s ever heard, his already interested cock filling out more in his pants. Then Hannibal leans close to his ear again and he can smell his warm clove smell stronger than he ever has before.

“Do you know what I imagined Will?” he whispers.

“No…” His response comes out more breathy than he intended.

“Instead of you leaving, I imagined taking you to the restroom here and sucking you off,” Hannibal whispers. Will is sure he has never been so turned on in his life, his vivid imagination envisioning them doing just that in graphic detail. _ Fuck. _ “Never in my life have I _ ever _ considered doing something so base, but I couldn't help myself. I went home and touched myself, thinking of you.”

“You did?” Will’s voice breaks, but he’s so turned on right now he can’t even care. He’s breathing hard, he feels dizzy, and the alcohol and arousal are making it hard to think of anything other than climbing on Hannibal's lap and grinding their bodies together. Feeling empowered after Hannibal’s confession, he says,

“I thought about you during my rut...the entire time I fantasized about us together.” He says it softly, proud he only glances away once despite how hot his face feels. He is delighted that his words cause Hannibal to gasp.

“And what _ exactly _did we do in your fantasy?” Hannibal asks seductively, almost growling. Will feels like they’re skating on thin ice, the sexual tension is so strong between them that he’s sure it’s going to break soon.

“Everything Hannibal, every fucking thing. If you can think of it we did it, it's no wonder I kissed you.”

“What do you say we get out of here?” Hannibal asks, and Will thinks that’s the best idea he’s ever heard. He drinks the last of his drink, wipes his mouth and nods.

Hannibal sways a little as he stands, leaving a wad of cash on the table. Will takes his offered hand and wobbles a bit himself before being led out of the restaurant, feeling surreal. Is he really holding Hannibal’s hand? _ Fuck this really is happening! _As soon as they’re clear of the building Will can’t wait any longer and shoves Hannibal hard into the brick wall of the restaurant, already feeling more free than he ever has in a sexual encounter, trusting that Hannibal won’t break - he’s proven that. It feels infinitely right just to be himself, unafraid. He kisses the older Alpha fiercely, feeling the cold night air around them heightening his senses. Just for fun he bites gently at Hannibal's lip, mindful of his injury, which gets a grunt out of the older man.

Will plants his leg between Hannibal’s, feeling the older Alpha press his erection into it, and Will nearly passes out as this is quickly surpassing his wildest dreams. Of their own accord, his own hips roll his own swollen sex against Hannibal’s hip and _ oh god it’s so good _. He didn't know it could feel this good. He can smell Hannibal's warm scent all around him, heating him from the inside out, intoxicating him.

When he pauses to take a breath, Will is caught off guard when Hannibal hooks his leg with his own and pivots them. Will lets out a small _ oof _as he his now has the hard cold brick wall at his back and Hannibal's hot body pressed against his front. A small growl escapes him, and he is surprised at the jolt of arousal that spikes through him from being manhandled like this - no one has ever done that to him before. He finds he loves it, the give and take, the vacillating power between them. Feeling playful, he bares his throat, wanting to show Hannibal just _how okay_ he is with the shifting dominance between them. His actions cause Hannibal to growl and Will already feels addicted to that sound. It causes gooseflesh to break out across his skin and his cock to pulses where its trapped in his pants.

In response Hannibal mouths at his bared throat - licking, sucking, nosing at his scent glands, grazing his teeth over where a mating bite would go - causing Will to shudder at the teasing implication. It’s uncanny how they can communicate so easily without words, their bodies know each other just as their minds do. Will wedges a hand between them and palms at Hannibal's erection through his pants, letting the older Alpha rut against his palm. In response Hannibal groans and tilts his head back in pleasure, exposing the pale skin of his neck, and Will doesn’t think he’s ever seen anything so sexy. He grasps Hannibal's hair with his other hand, encouraging him to stay as he is, as Will brings his mouth to his throat, mimicking Hannibal's treatment of his own neck. Hannibal’s scent is stronger here and Will is addicted, licking, sucking, and lightly biting the tender flesh which earns another groan from Hannibal. The older doctor presses him more forcefully into the wall with his Alpha strength Will honestly isn't sure if he could free himself if he tried; however he doesn’t want that, in fact quite the contrary, he loves the novel experience of not being the strongest partner.

Just then voices can be heard nearby as a large group exists the restaurant towards the parking lot. Startled, they break apart - both still buzzed, hair mussed, cheeks flush, lips wet, breathing hard, with pink marks on their neck, and tented trousers. Will could almost laugh at the absurdity of two grown Alpha men unable to keep their hands off each other long enough to get to the car not twenty feet away. 

Once again Hannibal takes his hand and he is led back to the Bentley. Will barely has time to consider if it’s worth the risk of scratching the paint to shove Hannibal against the car when his mind becomes otherwise occupied. To his surprise Hannibal opens not the front door of the car, but the back door. _ Why…? Oh! _It only takes Will’s sharp mind a second to figure out where this is going and he gladly climbs in with a wicked look in his eyes. Hannibal follows him in and as soon as he has the door shut Will is on him, climbing into his lap as he wanted to in the restaurant, ducking his head so as not to hit the ceiling. The only sound is their heavy breathing in the enclosed space, their combined scents concentrating more with every moment. Instantly Hannibal’s lips return to his own and Will moans when he feels the older Alpha’s large hands on his ass, pulling their groins into contact.

They spend an indefinite amount of time kissing, somewhat sloppily, tongues twining and bodies sliding against one anothers. Will grinds down and Hannibal presses up, creating an intensely pleasant friction that crackles and simmers between them. Now free from propriety, Will lets go, kissing Hannibal with abandon, thankful that the windows on Hannibal’s fancy car are tinted quite dark. Speaking of the windows, when Will catches a glimpse of them he notices they are starting to fog up and he has a moment of amusement, recalling makeout sessions in cars from his high school days. The need for oxygen eventually causes them to break apart, both gasping for breath, foreheads resting against one another intimately.

Hannibal’s hands travel sensually from his ass to his sides to his chest. Will arches into the caress, loving the unspoken promises those hands give him. The older doctor’s lips find his neck as his surgeon’s hands start undoing the buttons on Will’s shirt. It only takes Will a moment to follow suit, feeling like he’s unwrapping a Christmas present rather than unbuttoning Hannibal’s shirt. It’s a little harder than he anticipated as drunk as he is but he manages despite being markedly slower than Hannibal. In fact, by the time Will has revealed Hannibal’s lovely thicket of golden chest hair, the older Alpha has already moved on to his belt.

Their eyes meet and Hannibal’s hands pause on his belt as if asking for permission. In response (which he hopes doubles as an answer to the unspoken question) Will lowers his hands to Hannibal’s belt, abandoning his shirt buttons halfway undone. He starts to undo it a little slower than he wants to, watching for any signs of hesitance. He finds none and a moment later it’s like a switch has been flicked as Hannibal is now kissing him fiercely while aggressively trying to undo his belt. Will feels like the urgency of the encounter just picked up speed. Once he gets Hannibal’s belt and zipper undone, Will experiences another surreal moment wondering if this is really happening. He doesn’t have time to answer because all thought is wiped from his mind the moment Hannibal succeeds in opening his pants. The older Alpha has reached inside and is gripping his hard cock, confidant and sure, slowly stroking him. _ Oh fuck it feels so good_.

When Will opens his eyes (when did he close them?) their gazes lock and he lets out a stuttered gasp as Hannibal thumbs over the slit, smearing the slick precome around the head of his cock. He feels dizzy and almost overwhelmed, but it’s too damn good, he wants more, needs more. As Hannibal smirks at him, going back to stroking him, Will remembers he too has hands and tries to resume his original goal of touching the older Alpha. He reaches inside, pulling Hannibal’s cock out and stroking it, noticing the difference in feel and width from his own; it’s been a long time since he’s been with a male, and never with an Alpha male. At that thought he can’t help his fingers traveling further on the next downward stroke, and sure enough he feels the early swelling of a knot! It’s the first one he’s ever felt besides his own and he grips it how he likes on himself, watching as Hannibal’s eyes flutter shut in pleasure, a moan escaping his lips as his rhythm falters.

Between their drunkenness and enthusiasm there are too many arms in the way in the cramped space. Will has an idea and pulls his hand back, shifting forward on Hannibal’s lap. Keeping his gaze locked with the older doctor, Will brings his own hand to his mouth, licking his palm. Hannibal is looking at him hungrily, and it would almost be scary in its intensity, but right now Will relishes it. He makes a show of licking his hand before he looks down between them. He angles his hips forward and grasps both of their cocks together, his other arm braced on the back of the seat. He can’t grip all the way around and sees the moment Hannibal understands. The older Alpha starts to bring his hand to his own mouth but then changes his mind, bringing it instead to Will’s mouth, a challenge in his eyes.

Will’s stroking slows and he smirks, accepting the challenge. He licks broad swipes over Hannibal’s palm, catching his scent from the glands at his wrist, and maintaining eye contact as he does, feeling wanton, free. He’s never felt like this with anyone. The moment Hannibal's s spit-slick hand joins his own around their members it’s like the encounter goes from zero to sixty. It’s too good,_ fuck. _If they keep at it like this he’s going to come, but he can’t bring himself to stop thrusting into their combined grip, feeling Hannibal's erection sliding against his own. His knot is swelling, bumping against their hands when he thrusts up and he moans, sounding loud to his ears in the enclosed space. Hannibal is panting and groaning against him and Will is excited to feel his knot growing as well. It’s a novel feeling and he loves it, loves knowing he could get Hannibal into such a state. The thought alone pushes him closer to climax, gasping,

“Hannibal, I’m-”

All at once the world shifts, Will feeling strangely weightless and disoriented for a moment. He was _ this _ close to coming, but now Hannibal’s hand is gone from between them (which is disappointing) but that the older Alpha is now over him between his legs (which is fucking fantastic). After a moment Will realizes he has been turned ninety degrees and laid on his back across the bench seat. As it permeates his mind that Hannibal lifted him with such ease, he experiences another flood of arousal at the show of strength.

*

Hannibal feels like he’s in a frenzy, almost how he feels when he’s in his rut; in fact he can’t _ ever _remember feeling this out of control during a sexual encounter outside of his ruts. It’s just another way Will Graham keeps on surprising him. The pleasure he gives Hannibal’s body is exquisite, and if the way Will is moaning is anything to go by, he can only hope he is doing the same for him.

When he suggested they leave the restaurant, he had every intention of whisking Will back to his home; however, the moment Will shoved him against the side of the building he lost all hope of being able to wait the duration of the drive. In retrospect he supposes that while fumbling in the backseat of his car in a parking lot isn’t how he pictured his first time with Will (and oh has he pictured it), it’s probably for the best since he still feels the alcohol coursing through him; unsafe for driving but enhancing the already splendid encounter they are having.

Having Will on his lap is incredible, his strong legs are straddled wide across his lap; the young Alpha is delightfully wanton, his skin flushed and glistening with perspiration as their combined heat is steams up the windows. When they are finally skin to skin, cocks thrusting against one anothers in the channel of their hands, Hannibal is nearly overcome with pleasure. The friction and glide is so good that he already feels his knot swelling. All at once he wants them both to fall over the edge together in ecstasy, but at the same time he’s not ready for the encounter with this beautiful man to end. When he hears Will say his name, sounding beautifully lost to the pleasure, he growls, reacting without thinking.

In one swift motion he lifts Will off of his lap, guiding him to lay on his back on the bench seat, legs now bent and spread mid-air with himself in between them. Will’s bright blue eyes look a little disoriented for a second, and Hannibal takes a moment to take in the scene before him. Some light from the parking lot shines through the window, filtered through the fog on the glass, casting Will in soft beautiful light. His skin is pink, flushed, and glistening with sweat, and a few of his curls are darkened with sweat and stuck to his forehead. His dress shirt is open revealing his toned chest and stiff nipples. And then his pants are open, cock exposed, resting full and heavy, tip glistening with precome. Hannibal’s mouth waters at the sight, all at once remembering his lewd fantasy of sucking Will off in the bathroom and deciding in this moment he wants nothing more than to taste the gorgeous Alpha before him.

His brown eyes meet Will’s startling blue ones, gaze imploring, nearly desperate. Will’s breaths are coming fast as they stare at one another. Hannibal scoots back as far as he can in the small space, leaning forward and bringing one of Will’s legs to rest over his shoulder. He braces himself on one hand, and with the other he grips the Will’s erection. He strokes it once, enjoying the bliss that washes over the young doctor’s face, before he brings his mouth to Will’s leaking cock. He keeps his hand gripped around his knot at the base as he begins licking and sucking, taking in more and more, loving Will’s taste, loving every intimate detail he learns about the young Alpha.

*

Will thought for sure he had never been more turned on in his life before but he was wrong because he is even more turned on now. _ Holy hell, _ Hannibal’s mouth on him is warm and hot, and his confident grip around his knot is perfect - Will’s (albeit few) previous partners have never really handled him like this, his knot always shied away from, whereas Hannibal grips him confidently, just this side of rough, and he _ loves _ it.

He also can’t deny he loves the sight of Hannibal - professional Chief of Surgery Dr. Hannibal Lecter - between his legs. The older doctor’s eyes alternate between being closed in pleasure as if savoring him and open, watching Will intently. The older Alpha alternates sucking, licking, tounging at the slit, bobbing up and down, and teasingly pulling off completely, trail of saliva trailing from his mouth to Will’s cock. From the second Hannibal’s sinful mouth touched his dick, Will feels like he’s losing control. He tries not to thrust into Hannibal’s mouth but can’t help a few small thrusts. Will brings his hands to Hannibal’s head, not forcing him but needing an anchor of some kind, relishing the feel of Hannibal’s silky hair sliding between his fingers, worked loose from the product that had held it in place.

Will is moaning probably an embarrassing amount but he can’t care as Hannibal continues to move his wicked mouth over him faster. Suddenly the older doctor shifts above him, the hand that was braced on the seat now grips Will’s thigh, pulling his hips up off the seat forcefully, strong and rough. Will lets out an involuntary growl, feeling wild, out of control and nearly blind with pleasure. In response Hannibal groans around his cock and the vibrations have Will right on the edge. He still feels drunk but he has the foresight to at least try to warn Hannibal. He tugs on his hair as a warning but that only seems to make Hannibal groan some more, the vibrations pushing him over the edge.

“Ah! Hannibal I’m-” Will’s sentence becomes a moan as Hannibal not only keeps sucking him through his orgasm but is squeezing his knot firmly and rhythmically which has Will seeing stars. Will moans unintelligibly, interspersed with Hannibal’s name as he pulses jet after jet of come into Hannibal’s mouth. He feels Hannibal swallow around him and just the thought of the older Alpha trying to swallow his come has him moaning again as the aftershocks wash over him. Eventually the intense pleasure transitions to oversensitivity causing him to pull back, his cock slipping from Hannibal’s mouth and his leg sliding off of his shoulder. Will looks up at him in awe, blissed out, and breath hitching as he sees some of his come dripping out the side of Hannibal’s mouth; fuck if he hadn’t just had a spectacular orgasm he would be turned on again. _ Holy fucking hell, this is better than even his best dreams. _

Will clutches at Hannibal and curls up towards him, bringing their faces together and kissing him, uncaring that his come is now on his own face too. He groans in the kiss as he realizes he is tasting himself in Hannibal’s mouth. His groan is echoed by Hannibal as he shifts position again, and it only takes Will’s buzzed mind a second to understand what he’s doing.

Hannibal reaches between his own legs and starts stroking himself fast, he must be close. Will can’t reach at this angle so he uncurls and lays back down, pulling Hannibal until his hand joins Hannibal’s on his cock, gripping his knot how he knows he likes it. Hannibal must like it too because only a few seconds later her moans, “Will, oh-” as he reaches his orgasm, spurts of come jetting out over Will’s exposed chest.

The warm splatter tickles a little as it slowly starts to drip over his chest and stomach. It’s a novel feeling, Will’s never had someone come on him like this; he almost feels like he’s been marked, but rather than being bothered, he finds he loves it. He never would have guessed he would like something like this, so base and kind of dirty, but god help him he does.

They’re both breathing hard and after Hannibal’s orgasm passes, he leans forward, half on his side to avoid laying in the mess, awkwardly cuddled next to Will in the cramped space. Will scoots over as best he can, but even Bentley’s aren’t _ that _ spacious. He wants to put his arm around Hannibal but it seems to be physically impossible in the small space so he settles for resting his head against the older Alpha's, enjoying the proximity and intimacy as their breathing recovers. _ Holy fuck. _ He just had amazing drunk car sex with his attending physician.

Will looks down at his body, semen illuminated on his abdomen in the soft light coming through the window. Curious, he raises his free arm and runs his finger through the sticky fluid on his stomach. His movement draws Hannibal's eye and Will slowly brings it to his mouth, licking it off, maintaining eye contact with Hannibal. In response Hannibal moans softly, then copies Will, trailing his finger through his seed and offering his finger to Will. He licks and sucks the older Alpha’s finger, tongue cataloging the difference in shape, texture compared to his own finger, seeing Hannibal's eyes go half lidded for his efforts - it’s absolutely lovely.

“Mmm, well I was right about one thing,” Hannibal says.

“What's that”

“You are good in bed,” Hannibal says with a smirk. Will laughs, still feeling a little buzzed and pulls Hannibal to kiss him, uncaring that the angle is awkward.

*

When they kiss, Hannibal tastes himself in Will's mouth, letting out a satisfied sigh and moving to lay more on top of Will, uncaring that his shirt probably has semen on it now. He didn't even consider that things would progress this far on their first date (and to be honest he’d prefer semen on his clothes than on the Bentley).

“You do realize you technically haven’t had me _in bed_ yet…?” Will teases, and Hannibal grins, loving this young man so much it hurts. He loves seeing Will smile, confident.

“Why yes, you're right, you’re so smart,” he says, playing along. “I'd like to remedy that as soon as possible…” he replies with a smirk, borrowing Will's words from earlier in the evening.

“Mmm now who’s the smart one?” Will asks, nuzzling Hannibal’s neck, and Hannibal wonders if he’s died and gone to heaven. The circumstances may not be what he _ ever _would have predicted, but right now all that matters is Will, his lovely Alpha resident, is in his arms. He nuzzles Will back tenderly, trying to convey through touch what he dare not say. That he loves him, adores him, in every way possible. They stay like that for an indeterminate amount of time, cuddling as best as they can in the back seat of a car and basking in the intimacy. Eventually Hannibal’s mind clears from the alcohol and his legs start to cramp from being bent, so he reluctantly asks,

“Well, shall we get going? Hannibal asks, feeling sober to drive.

*

“Yeah,” Will says. He’s curious if he is being taken back to Hannibal's place? Or if Hannibal will come up to his apartment? Both possibilities are slightly scary to him, but his want for Hannibal supersedes his fear - he’ll wait and see what Hannibal has in mind. They redress and move to the front seat, the cold air outside sobering Will a bit. He's surprised how few cars are in the parking lot now. As Hannibal begins the drive back, Will checks his watch and and sees that it's after three in the morning! _ Fuck they both have to be at work in about four hours! _

When Hannibal pulls up outside his apartment, Will says “I’d invite you up but we have to be at work in...oh god, four hours.”

*

Hannibal nods, knowing that as much as he’d love to whisk Will back to his own home, the reality is that they both have important work to do and need to be somewhat rested - especially with Will’s recent sleeping issues. It didn't even dawn on him that things would progress this fast, otherwise he truthfully would have grabbed his go bag. It isn't how he pictured the aftermath of first time either; he really wants to stay with Will, to cement that this isn’t a fling, but he sees no practical solution. However he feels compelled to make sure Will knows how serious he is taking this, that it’s not a one night stand - Will deserves better than that.

“Yes, I understand. We both need our rest...although, I’ll admit Will, this isn't how I pictured our first time together,” Hannibal says.

*

Will isn’t sure what’s coming over him, but he feels giddy and playful, so he smirks and teases, “First? You're getting ahead of yourself Doctor - first implies there will be a second time.”

At his words Hannibal looks gobsmacked into silence. Will takes pity on him, he's still riding the wave of teasing, feeling so pleasantly carefree it's ridiculous, he feels drunk except rather than on alcohol on the man in front of him. “I’m kidding Hannibal, of course I’d love there to be _ many _ more times we do this.” Will says, taking Hannibal’s hand in his own. They’re both standing on the sidewalk next to Hannibal’s car parked at the curb. 

*

Hannibal smiles, relieved. He can’t believe how he hangs on Will’s every word, captivated by this confident young interesting doctor who keeps him on his toes. Even now. He hopes he’ll never tire of this fascinating man. 

“I do as well,” he says with a smile, bringing his hand up to Will’s face, amazed he is allowed to do this, and even more amazed when Will leans into it, his facial hair pressing against his palm. Without consciously deciding to do so, he closes the distance between them and kisses Will, thrilled to notice new details now that he is sober - like how Will’s eyes flutter shut, dark eyelashes beautiful against his light skin, the tickle of his mustache on Hannibal’s upper lip, the way he holds Hannibal to him at his waist. He loves it all. 

The cool night air is a stark contrast to their hot skin and eventually Will breaks the kiss and shyly says, “It’s not how I pictured it either.” Their cheeks rest against one anothers, arms holding each other closely, not ready to let go despite the late hour. “I really liked waking up with you,” Will admits after a beat. 

Hannibal pulls back enough to see Will’s face and his heart melts seeing the lovely blush across the younger doctor's cheeks. He cradles Will’s face in both of his hands, kissing his cheek, feeling the rush of breath as the younger Alpha exhales. He then moves to kiss his neck, then up to his ear, drinking in his scent, unable to resist rubbing against him a little as he says, “So did I. Next time, Will.”

*

Will shivers at the promise in Hannibal’s tone and notices Hannibal is rubbing his neck against Will’s own. _ Is he doing what he thinks he's doing?!? _ Will shivers again, loving the idea Hannibal wants to scent mark him as his own. Will is surprised his inner Alpha isn't bothered by it; in fact, on the contrary it makes him want to do the same thing to Hannibal, so he does. He hesitates a moment when Hannibal inhales sharply, wondering if he went too far; but then Hannibal growls, scraping his teeth along his throat. Will moans, forgetting they are on a public street.

*

Hannibal’s not sure how much time has gone by, his sense of time got lost the second Will started rubbing against him. Truth be told Hannibal didn’t even realize what he had been doing to Will until the moment Will reciprocated. Apparently his body instinctively decided to scent mark Will without his brain’s input. And when he realized Will was doing the same to him? Oh it short-circuited his brain. He’s never wanted to be claimed by someone in this way, but once again Will is proving to be the exception. 

Someone catcalls them from a passing vehicle and Hannibal steps back, his stupor breaking. What is happening to him? What is Will Graham doing to him? He should leave, they both need to get some sleep before work tomorrow. They look at each other for a beat before they both start laughing, at what exactly Hannibal couldn’t say, but he feels it too - maybe the thrill of getting caught necking in public, maybe the absurdity of how hard it is for them to part from each other, unwilling to break the magic of the evening despite the late hour. 

Once their laughter dies off, Hannibal takes Will’s hand in his own, not daring to touch any more of the tempting Alpha in front of him lest they get stuck again. He swipes his fingers gently over his hand, thumb trailing over the scent gland at his wrist. He brings Will’s hand to his mouth, kissing it once before letting go and stepping toward his car before he loses his self control. “I’ll see you tomorrow Will. Sleep well,” Hannibal says. Will smiles at him, blush high on his cheeks - he’s so incredibly cute Hannibal cant believe his luck. He's sure this is going to be complicated, already thinking of work together tomorrow, but he has no regrets. Whatever they have to go through, he's sure it will be worth it.

* 

As Will makes his way back into his apartment he feels like he’s living in a dream. Did that really happen? As he undresses for bed the skin on his abdomen feels tight from the dried come and he blushes. Well yes, that is undeniable proof that _ it did, indeed, happen _. Despite feeling foolish for doing so, he decides to wait to shower until tomorrow morning - he's not ready to let the lingering clove scent Hannibal left on him be washed away.

As he lays in bed he checks his phone and chuckles, seeing he has eleven text messages, all from Margot and about half are full of capital letters and exclamation points. He smiles as he reads through them, the gist being she wants to know how everything happened and is incredibly happy for him. He thinks for a moment how to answer concisely, knowing he should be sleeping. He types out, _ A patient gave me the courage to ask him out, so I did. _ As he sends it he makes a mental note to stop by to see Mr. Pazzi tomorrow morning to thank him.

The next day Will arrives extra early to work and rushes straight to Mr. Pazzi’s room to thank him for the advice. When he walks into the room. Mr. Pazzi is eating breakfast. “Ah good morning Doctor! I didn’t expect to see you again so soon,” he says around a mouthful of eggs.

Will smiles and comes up next to the bed. “Good morning. Yeah I didn’t expect to see you so soon either,” Will says, ignoring the fact that he didn’t really expect to see him ever again. 

Mr. Pazzi sets down his utensils and wipes his mouth on the napkin; as he does, Will notices he looks a little more swollen than yesterday. “Well, to what do I owe the pleasure of your company Doctor?”

Will smiles and looks away for a moment before looking back and saying, “I came by because I wanted to thank you. Thanks to your encouragement I was able to finally ask for something I really wanted. And do you know, I got it?” he says, unable to stop the grin spreading over his face.

Mr. Pazzi’s face lights up. “You seized your opportunity didn’t you?” he asks excitedly.

“Yes, yes I did. And I’m so glad I did. Thank you so much, really.”

“You’re very welcome Doctor. I told you you could do it. You got your dream didn’t you?” he asks.

Will smiles, reflecting, as he says, “Yes....I did get my dream.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥♥♥ Thanks to all who have read, left kudos, and/or commented!! I truly appreciate it! ♥♥♥
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
> **End notes: **  
  
\- This plot was loosely based on an episode of Scrubs (although I think in Scrubs the patient dies before JD can see her again 😥)  
  
\- In real life I work in dialysis and it really is life-sustaining treatment, without it patients typically only live about two weeks. Dialysis is hard mentally and physically, so end of life decisions like Pazzi’s often do get discussed.  
  
\- **⭐️AUTHOR'S PUBLIC SERVICE ANNOUNCEMENT:⭐️**Pleeeease get your blood pressure and blood glucose checked at least once a year! I don't care what your age is - uncontrolled diabetes and hypertension are the top two PREVENTABLE causes of kidney failure, and both are very treatable. Both diabetes and hypertension can be silent diseases (meaning they often have no symptoms so you feel fine despite internal damage occurring); for a lot of my patients the first symptom they had was their kidneys failing, for which there is unfortunately no cure other than kidney transplant (which only lasts about 5-20 years and wait list is 8-10 years to get one). Usually the only treatment is dialysis. So please, even if you live in a country with shitty healthcare like I do *cough* USA *cough*, consider spending $20 and get a home glucose testing kit once per year (sold at a pharmacy stores) and get your blood pressure checked at those free machines at Walmart. I may not know you but I care about you and want you to live a long and happy life. ❤️  
  
\- The timeline of this fic is a little nebulous but I'm going to say it’s November (Will started in July so that’s reasonable right?) it certainly feels like its been 5 months right? About one month per chapter?
> 
>   
**Medical Terminology:**
> 
> \- CVC \- Central Venous Catheter - a tube placed in the chest that runs to the inside of the heart, it's used when dialysis is needed right away (a way to get blood in and out of the body quickly to be cleaned/have the toxins removed through dialysis)  
\- Dialysis \- artificial process by which blood is cleaned of uremic toxins (toxins we would normally pee out) by blood leaving the body through a tube, being filtered through a dialysis filter/dialysate solution. The most common type of dialysis in the US is in-center dialysis which is typically 3-4 hours 3x/week to adequately clean the blood, but there are other better types than this that are done at home.  
\- eGFR \- estimated glomular filtration rate, a number that estimates your kidney function, specifically how many milliliters of blood the kidneys can filter per minute, for people on dialysis with end stage renal disease their eGFR is typically <15. Healthy is >90.  
\- Emergency dialysis \- dialysis that must be done ASAP to save someone's life - most common reasons are either the potassium in the blood is too high (hyperkalemia) or fluid overload (person retaining so much fluid they are essentially drowning internally). Interesting/sad fact about hyperkalemia - high blood levels of potassium can literally stop the heart from beating. For inmates on death row who are given the "lethal injection," they are literally given a shot of potassium chloride which induces hyperkalemia and stops their heart, killing them.  
\- Electrolytes \- dissolved minerals in the blood such as sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride. These lab results are often severely altered with medical problems such as kidney disease, dehydration, etc.  
\- Kidney transplant \- surgery to receive a donated kidney, the only "cure" for stage five kidney disease/end stage renal disease. Kidney can be from a living person (donor) or a deceased person (cadaver). Interesting fact - when you receive a kidney transplant, they normally leave your existing kidneys in you and just add on the new one, so then you technically have three kidneys in you. I have one patient with four since he has had two kidney transplants (sadly both failed).  
\- MedSurg \- short for Medical/Surgical floor/ward in a hospital, where the non critical patients or post-surgery patients are cared for  
\- Nephrologist \- doctor who specializes in kidney disease  
\- Osmolarity \- way to measure hydration status and/or level of solutes dissolved in the blood  
\- Quinton catheter \- temporary tube to the heart for emergency dialysis  
\- Stage five kidney disease \- the last of kidney disease. If someone reaches this stage their kidneys can no longer function well enough to keep the person alive without dialysis, typically <10% kidney function.  



	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things are good, until they’re not, then they’re good again (aka the chapter with the holy trinity: fluff, angst, and smut) 😊 oh and sap, goofy sap warning too
> 
> (And as promised madsmeetsmisha, there is hopefully "much tension and shoving against the wall and heated kisses in dark rooms"...if a stairwell counts as a room...? 😉)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay so you know that feeling when you stare at something too long and lose all perspective? That is what happened with this chapter LOL I have second guessed everything so I hope it turned out okay 🤞🏻. Special thanks to madsmeetsmisha, balanced_demons, and IIQueenFannerII for their encouragement for me to finish this chapter! Thank you friends! 💗❤️💗
> 
> As usual medical terminology used in the chapter is at the end.
> 
> CAPITAL ITALICS are the paging/texting messages - tbh I've never used a pager so apologies if I've misrepresented them. 🤷🏻
> 
> Oh and I tried my hand at photo manipulation in the moodboard, not too bad for my first attempt I think. 😁

In the week that follows their date, some things go exactly as expected for Will, and others not as expected. In the expected column are the Christmas decorations being placed up around the hospital now that December has arrived, as well as the large influx of patients with pneumonia due to the colder weather and flu season being in full swing. However, what was not expected is that because of the hospital’s high census, not only does Will get asked to work independently - away from Hannibal - but that both Hannibal and himself are often asked to work overtime.

It really feels like the universe is working against him. Is it really so much to ask to spend some non-work time with your...person you're dating? As strong as his feelings are, Will’s not sure if they are _ boyfriends_… In a way it almost doesn't matter what they call one another because they can’t tell anyone anyway. The morning after their date, Will was unsurprised when Hannibal told him about the hospital’s policy on dating, which prohibits any dating between positions with direct reporting to one another, such as resident and attending physician. Will mentally concedes that it does make sense - it's a conflict of interest for the supervising position, but truthfully Will has no concerns about it. He fully trusts that Hannibal will evaluate him fairly and that he wouldn't pass him if he wasn’t meeting his standards. However, regrettably he recognizes that others likely won’t see it that way. And the last thing he wants is for Hannibal to get in trouble or to jeopardize what they have. 

Since their date, they have attempted to schedule two dates, and sadly both times they didn't happen. The first time Hannibal was required to stay over for emergency surgery so Will opted to stay with him. By the time they were done it was after nine o’clock and both were incredibly tired and with early schedules the following day. The second time occurred on the weekend. Will was in his apartment getting ready for their date when he got a call from Hannibal that he got called in _ again _ for emergency surgery. He apologized and said that Will was welcome to join him but he was not expected to. Will opted to pass, still in a sleep deficit from staying over earlier in the week. The following day, Hannibal was understandably tired so they agreed to reschedule their date _ again _.

The one upside to Will working independently is that he feels more confident than ever as a physician and surgeon. It’s empowering to really test how much he's learned, performing surgeries without Hannibal’s supervision and doing it well, often getting compliments from the other doctors. However he would trade it all in a heartbeat to be able to spend time with the older doctor. He consoles himself with the fact that this situation is not forever. Flu season will end, and in about seven months he will graduate this residency and _ if _they are still together at that time, they will no longer have to hide. 

Twice he _ almost _ texts Beverly, wanting to share his excitement for this new aspect of his life with someone; despite knowing he could probably trust her, he refrains. The less people that know about them at work the better. Hell, even though Margot and Alana are not _ technically _ breaking hospital policy by dating, they seem to be trying to keep their relationship on the down low. It’s been harder than Will thought it would be to refrain from public displays of affection with Hannibal in the few moments they do have in each others’ company. Now that he knows what it’s like to kiss him, touch him, hug him, hold his hands, he finds it exceedingly frustrating to not be able to do so. He suspects it would be different if they were able to see each other outside of work, but it’s honestly like the universe - or more specifically the hospital - is working against them, keeping them apart. Normally this would be the honeymoon period of a relationship, the sweet spot after the first date, the novelty, the passion...yet Will can’t help but feel like they hit pause and he can’t deny that it worries him...

*

Hannibal can't believe his luck - or lack of it. He _ finally _ can say he is dating Will - yet so far they have not succeeded in going on any more dates! It’s incredibly frustrating. Ever since their date, Hannibal has wanted to do something for Will to show how much he cares. Even though he loved their date, he doesn’t want Will to get the wrong idea. Excessive drinking and sex in the back of a car - while fun - don’t reflect his rather serious feelings for the young Alpha, and he can’t help but worry that with every day that passes what idea Will has about their relationship. He can't bear to think that Will thinks of them as a one night stand, that now that he got off he isn't interested - what they have is so much more than that and he doesn’t want the younger doctor to doubt his feelings. And of course because they must keep their relationship a secret for the time being, they are limited in what affections they can share during hospital hours. And as their time away from the hospital has been almost non-existent the past week due to high patient census, Hannibal is left incredibly frustrated.

Determined to find a solution to the limitations of their hectic and unpredictable schedule, Hannibal puts his intelligence to the task, feeling the need to act soon before Will can form any doubts about his intentions. Inspiration strikes as he passes his favorite cleaning lady, Marlene, in the hallway. She looks just as busy as Hannibal is, if not moreso, and they share a brief sympathetic smile. Seeing Marlene always reminds him of delicious, home-cooked El Salvadorian food from the many potlucks they have had over the years. He’s been wanting to cook for Will...maybe this could be the perfect opportunity? Idea in mind, Hannibal feels hope rise in his chest, already planning his fool-proof date for tomorrow. 

However despite the hope he feels at his plan for tomorrow, he still feels the need to take action sooner, to make sure Will knows how much he cares about him _ now _. The feeling is unfamiliar and uncomfortable because of it. In fact, the need is so urgent that out of reflex he pulls out his phone, intending to text Will. However he quickly realizes that neither of them check their phones very much during work hours. Feeling bold, instead he gets out his hospital pager and types:

_ I WISH YOU WERE HERE _

He knows he’s being a little reckless, but his need to make sure Will knows his feelings _ right now _is too strong to resist. A minute later he receives a page back:

_ WHAT DO YOU NEED? _

Smiling, Hannibal types his reply, carefully choosing his words:

_ NOTHING, I JUST MISS YOU _

*

Will was in the middle of writing up a post-op while simultaneously trying to review the chart of a patient who, if he clears him, he’ll be doing surgery on shortly, when his pager goes off. He’s a little surprised and also curious - no one is likely to page him except Hannibal, or maybe Dr. Gideon, yet neither _ ever _ have. In fact, Will has to fiddle with his pager a moment to figure out how to view the message:

_ I WISH YOU WERE HERE _

When he sees those words from Hannibal he gets concerned._ Fuck, _ as busy as he is, if Hannibal needs him he’ll be there... _ but what could Hannibal possibly need him for? _ Will knows he is smart and capable, but it's highly unlikely the older doctor would truly _ need _ him for anything… Both intrigued and confused, he replies:

_ WHAT DO YOU NEED? _

When the return page comes his heart beats faster, warmth rises to his cheeks, and his focus narrows to the five small words on the pager screen:

_ NOTHING, I JUST MISS YOU _

He's sitting in a crowded loud nurses station but he might as well be on Mars for how aware he is of his surroundings in that moment._ Hannibal paged him just to tell he misses him? _ Hannibal, who said he never missed _ any _ of his previous lovers when they weren't there, _ misses him? _

Will can't stop the smile that breaks across his face, his eyes even getting a little moist with emotion. As much as he loved their date, he didn't realize how much he was craving pure affection like this from the older Alpha. Once their lust was slaked, he realized he wanted more; truthfully he wants it all with Hannibal, and has been disappointed every time their dates have been rescheduled. Based on their projected surgery schedule, their plan of possibly going out tonight isn't looking realistic either. This small gesture soothes his heart in a way he didn't know he needed. Blinking back the emotion and taking a breath, he types back:

_ I MISS YOU TOO _

and sends it. Once sent, the environment around him slowly comes back into focus, but he now feels a peace he didn’t have earlier. 

*

Hannibal hears his pager go off as he is walking to operating room two for his next surgery. When he gets it out, his step falters when he reads the words. 

_ I MISS YOU TOO _

_ Will misses him too! _He releases the breath he didn't realize he was holding and continues on with a spring in his step, already looking forward to his date idea for tomorrow. As much as he would love otherwise, he knows going out tonight isn't going to happen. And his prediction proves to be correct as he finally finishes his documentation well after the sun has set. And despite the late hour when they finally leave the hospital, Hannibal makes himself go to the store and stays up preparing his surprise for Will before going to bed. 

The next morning, despite not getting enough sleep, Hannibal goes in to work an hour early and does his best to get some of both his and Will’s caseload done. As he’s writing up his third post-op report, his pager goes off, it’s from Will.

_ WHERE ARE YOU? YOU OK? _

Hannibal frowns, looking at his watch, _ 8:05AM. Oops, _ he meant to be back in his office before Will got in - and of course Will's on time, he said his sleep has been much better lately. Hannibal smiles at the younger doctor’s concern, imagining him arriving at the office and seeing it open but Hannibal not there. He types back a reply:

_ MEDSURG, YES SORRY <3 _

*

Will can’t deny that he got worried when he arrived for work and for the first time ever Hannibal's office was open but he wasn’t in it. _ Odd. _ Usually he's at his desk organizing his day or arrives concurrently with Will. Today neither. Will waits about five minutes - he knows he could log on to Hannibal’s computer to generate his (likely busy) schedule for the day, but instead he waits, hoping to get to see Hannibal before he's thrown into the chaos. During the five minutes he can’t help but start worrying so he decides to take action, typing out a page:

_ WHERE ARE YOU? YOU OK? _

When the reply comes a moment later he jumps to read it.

_ MEDSURG, YES SORRY <3 _

The first thing Will feels is relief that Hannibal is fine (although really what was he worried about?). Then after a moment he smiles at the apology...and the heart! _ A heart…? Did Hannibal really type out a heart to him? Hearts usually mean love...is it possible that Hannibal loves him? _Will knows in his heart he loves Hannibal, but also knows it's far too early by any social norms to declare it. However the urge to reply in kind is too strong to resist so he types out:

_ NP <3 _

Worries allayed, Will smiles and settles into Hannibal’s chair, logging onto his computer. It’s the first time he’s sat here and he can’t deny he enjoys it - enjoys being in Hannibal’s space, surrounded by his scent, his items. It feels intimate, something he can't imagine Hannibal would allow anyone else to do. Although to be fair, Will is assuming it’s okay he sits here. If this were any other Alpha male he surely wouldn't encroach on their personal space this way, but he's confident Hannibal wouldn't mind. 

Once his worklist is generated he looks at it in confusion. _ That can’t be right... _ he should have at least three more patients...if not more. _ Maybe they discharged? _ Well, either way he’s thankful - he and Hannibal have had enough long days recently...maybe the universe is finally cutting them some slack? And maybe...just maybe they’ll get out on time today and can finally go on their second date? He almost doesn’t allow himself to entertain the possibility for fear of jinxing it but can’t fully quell the hope in his heart. With these thoughts in mind he smiles and heads out of the office to start his day. 

*

Hannibal wondered if he made the right decision including the heart in his page. It’s a somewhat juvenile thing to do but he couldn't help it, and truthfully can't bring himself to regret it. Especially when Will’s reply comes. Will sent him a heart too! He feels a little silly, getting excited over such a thing like a teenager...but he supposes in a way his experience with love is young despite his older age. He can't recall _ ever _feeling like this before in his life and it thrills him. Will Graham is a constant source of surprises for him and this is just one more to the list, how he makes him feel. It thrills him even more as he thinks of his plan for lunch today - a chance to turn the tables and surprise the young Alpha for once. Nearby him, Dr. Fell turns to him and says, “You look happy, what kind of pages are you getting? I dread every time mine goes off!”

“It's good news,” Hannibal replies, proud of how calm his response sounds despite his surprise - he hadn't even seen Dr. Fell sit down next to him at the nurses station! Obviously he’s distracted - it’s amazing how much Will can distract him without even being here!

“Well, appreciate it friend, it can turn to shit in a heartbeat,” Dr. Fell says as he puts the chart away and exits the nurses station. Hannibal frowns, vowing that this won’t “turn to shit” on his watch. 

Around eleven thirty, Hannibal goes to his car and gets his bag, discreetly making his way up to the hospital’s roof. He sets up his surprise and then sends Will a page:

_ ROOF ASAP _

He waits, enjoying the brisk breeze combined with the warm sun. It's chilly, but that's to be expected in December in Baltimore. 

*

By mid-morning Will has made great progress in his caseload for the day, and by the time he’s considering breaking for lunch he honestly wonders if he will finish early. He tries not to let himself think about that lest he jinx it, but he can’t deny that he’s in a very good mood. He suspects Abigail can sense his good mood, because as soon as he sat down to do his report, he felt something being set on his head. He had prepared himself to be annoyed until he saw it was Abigail, and realized she had placed a fuzzy Santa hat on his head and was smiling at him.

“There! Now you’ve got the holiday spirit!” she had said to him, and he had genuinely laughed, allowing the itchy thing to stay on his head for now as he continued to write his report. Just as he’s finishing writing his post-surgery orders for the hernia repair he just did, his pager beeps.

He smiles, already suspecting the page is from Hannibal. Since yesterday, it’s the one luxury they’ve allowed themselves at work - it’s both private and inconspicuous. They don’t send anything lewd, just little reminders that things between them are different now, a way to stay present with each other when they are forced apart like today. He opens it and reads it, his smile melting into confusion. _ What? _

_ ROOF ASAP _

For a brief moment Will panics, imagining a suicidal patient trying to jump but then calms himself - surely if that were the case then a code would have been called? This is something else entirely...something just for him, and the realization causes his smile to return full force. His thoughts are interrupted as Abigail elbows him, trying to lean over to see the message. She's his favorite nurse and knows it - often taking full advantage of the fact. He tilts his pager away from her and she leans back, pouting. 

“You realize you grin like an idiot every time you look at that thing?” she says, amusement coloring her voice. Will can’t help how his eyes dart around to check if anyone heard her. Thankfully there’s no one within ear shot, but he still levels a glare at Abigail. To her credit her smile disappears, the Beta in her recognizing the upset Alpha doctor before her and she promptly goes back to her workstation.

Once the fear of being found out fades, Will relaxes a little and begins putting his stuff away. On his way out he winks at Abigail, dropping the Santa hat on her in the process, letting her know he's not really mad. She smiles back at him, apparently forgiven.

Happily Will takes the elevator up to the top floor. Once there, he realizes it doesn't actually go to the roof so he spends a moment trying to figure out where the roof access is. He ends up having to duck under a chain indicating it’s a restricted area but it doesn't actually prevent him from getting to the door on the other side of it.

When he opens the roof access door, the first thing Will notices is the change in temperature - it’s much colder out here than inside the hospital, but thankfully not windy despite the elevation. Instinctively he crosses his arms in response to the cold, his flimsy scrubs not doing much to keep him warm. He takes a few steps to get out of the shade which seems to help a little. 

Once the shock of the cold wears off, Will’s gaze is drawn to what looks like a picnic laid out. A moment later he sees Hannibal walking towards him, his white coat absent, just in his slacks and button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up, smiling at him, looking incredibly gorgeous. Will smiles back, honestly surprised. He's not sure what he expected but this surpasses anything he could have dreamed of. When they come together, Hannibal takes his hand and brings it to his lips, eyes smiling, looking incredibly pleased. 

“Hello Will.”

“Hello Hannibal, what is this?”

“I made us lunch,” Hannibal says, using their joined hands to lead Will over to the blanket. “Seeing as how we’ve been unsuccessful going on a proper date due to hospital duties, I decided to try to bring a proper date to us. It actually worked out well because I have been wanting to cook for you.” 

“Wait, you _ made _all of this?” Will asks as he scans the spread, wondering how Hannibal had the time to do such a thing - Hannibal works more hours than he does and he himself barely had the energy to walk home last night before he crashed on his bed exhausted.

“Yes I did. I love cooking, it's a passion of mine, one that nearly rivals my passion for medicine. Please,” Hannibal says, gesturing for Will to sit down. Will does and the older Alpha comes to sit beside him. The roof access door Will emerged from is clearly visible from where they sit which causes Will to ask,

“What if someone sees us?” 

“You know Will you worry too much. You'd be much more comfortable if you just relaxed with yourself. It is highly unlikely anyone will come up here, and even if they do, there is nothing illicit about two coworkers having lunch together. Here,” Hannibal says as he hands him a glass. He then proceeds to opens a bottle of Italian soda and pours some into Will’s glass - it almost looks like champagne. Will sips it as he watches the older doctor make them plates while explaining what each item is - caprese skewers, bruschetta, stuffed dates, risotto balls, and ham and cheese piadina - fancy Italian finger food. Will accepts his plate and watches as Hannibal pours himself a glass and then raises it, saying, “To the opportunity to have a date not during work hours,_ soon _.” Will laughs, giddy with emotion - Hannibal did all of this for him, for both of them. He can't recall anyone ever doing something so thoughtful for him and can’t stop the smile that erupts on his face.

“Yes, _ soon _,” Will affirms as they clink glasses and drink, eyes locked. 

“Well,_ bon appetit,_” Hannibal says after he sets his glass down on the soft blue blanket.

Will takes a bite and nearly moans at how good the food is, looking at Hannibal in shock. Curious, he takes a bite of all the other food items, liking each one more than the last. As soon as he swallows he can’t help exclaiming, “Holy fuck, this is the best thing I’ve ever eaten. You seriously made this?!?” 

Hannibal smiles and answers after swallowing a bite of his own, “Yes I did. I'm happy you like it. In fact I would love to have you over for dinner sometime, when the opportunity arises.” 

“Yeah that would be great,” Will says. They eat in comfortable silence, enjoying the view, sunshine, and proximity. 

Once they finish eating, Hannibal puts the leftovers away in a small cooler. As he does so Will enjoys watching the older Alpha’s body move, realizing he really hasn't seen Hannibal’s back or ass, a fact he hopes to change in the future. Just as the older doctor turns back towards him the wind picks up a little, causing Will to shiver. 

As he moves to sit back down, Hannibal changes course, instead grabbing his own white coat from where it was neatly folded off to the side and laying it over Will’s shoulders. All of a sudden he’s literally wrapped in Hannibal's scent; it’s divine and carries with it the pleasant and increasingly familiar feeling of intimacy between them. In the past, Will has never been very fond of being taken care of by his partners, which he knows is slightly unusual for an Alpha. In fact, most Alphas love being taken care of, and most Omegas are happy to take on the caregiver role. But even when Will was with Margot it never sat well with him - rather than feel pleased he always felt embarrassed when she would go out of her way for him. He’s always felt like he's perfectly capable of taking care of himself, so why should someone take care of him? However he is pleasantly surprised to realize that it feels different with Hannibal. He supposes the fact that Hannibal is another Alpha male makes him feel more comfortable, like they are on equal footing, both capable of taking care of themselves - which means if Hannibal takes care of him then it’s because he wants to, not because his gender hormones tell him to, or because he feels obligated to. 

Hannibal sits down in front of him and rubs Will’s arms over the coat. If anyone else were doing this to him Will might feel patronized, like a child, but all he feels in the moment is his heart swelling at the care he feels from Hannibal. He can't think of how to put it in words but feels an urgent need to share this emotion with Hannibal so he leans forward, resting his hand on Hannibal's thigh and kisses him. The motion of Hannibal’s hands ceases, instead now gripping Will’s upper arms as he slowly returns the kiss. It's the first kiss they've shared since their date almost a week ago and Will sighs in relief, breathing in Hannibal's warm familiar scent. Oh how he’d missed this...

The kiss is slow, gentle and delicate, imbued with all the emotions they haven’t been able to fully share with one another yet. Will’s eye grow moist at how precious Hannibal makes him feel. He brings his other hand to the older Alpha’s neck, holding him in place, tilting his head to deepen the kiss. Hannibal exhales, kissing him back, tongue occasionally meeting his own, bringing with it his warm spicy uniquely Hannibal taste that Will missed so much. One of the older doctor’s hands travels up to his neck, curling into the hair at his nape and Will sighs. _ It's perfect. _ The kiss remains unrushed and tender, more reverent than sexual, but eventually they need to breathe so they part, foreheads resting together. 

“Thank you, for doing all of this,” Will says softly into the shared space between them. Hannibal’s hand slides down his arm to interlace their fingers together, resting them on his leg. 

“It was my pleasure Will, truly.”

At that moment the wind blows a little stronger causing them both shiver a little. Will can’t help but feel a little bad seeing how he has Hannibal's coat; he automatically starts to shrug it off to give it back but Hannibal stops him. 

“Wait I have a better idea.” Hannibal sets the picnic stuff off to the side and then maneuvers to sit directly behind Will, stretching his legs out. He grasps the edge of the large picnic blanket and wraps it around them both, nuzzling at his neck once they are bundled up. It’s instantly much warmer and sweetly intimate.

“And what if someone sees us _ like this _ ?” Will asks, a little breathless; the position reminds him fondly of when he woke up after the sleeping medication incident with Hannibal nestled behind him - how times have changed! He automatically tilts his head, giving the older doctor better access to his neck, resting his head back against his shoulder. It’s not a very Alpha thing to do but he doesn’t give it more than a fleeting thought, he doesn’t have anything to prove to Hannibal. Besides, he loves the feel of Hannibal’s strong arms around him, being surrounded by his scent, and the warmth of his body in stark contrast against the cold wind. _ It’s perfect. _

“Mmm it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

Will feels playful, remembering the ease that comes with being with Hannibal this way, so he teases, “So you did a risk assessment _ doctor?” _Hannibal laughs against him, warm puffs of breath against his neck where he’s been dropping delicate kisses. 

“Mm yes indeed, it’s as I taught you, a good doctor _ always _completes a risk assessment before taking any action.”

Now Will laughs, hands running over Hannibal's forearms where they hold him around his midsection, gently pressing the side of his face to Hannibal’s, absently wondering how his facial hair feels against Hannibal’s smoothly shaved cheek. “Mmm yes I do recall you teaching me that...and you are undoubtedly a good doctor.” 

Hannibal laughs again, this time behind his ear which causes a shiver to pass through him that has nothing to do with the cold. “I suppose I am pretty good aren't I?”

“Oh yes,” Will says, arching into Hannibal behind him, craving more contact with the older doctor. “Every resident is dying to work with you because of how good you are.”

Hannibal chuckles wryly, saying “Not _ every _ resident...as I recall _ you _weren’t dying to work with me…”

Now Will laughs, intertwining their fingers and bringing them to his lips, kissing the back of Hannibal's hand. He rests his lips and nose against it, nose cold against Hannibal's warm skin, his scent stronger from the gland at his wrist. “Mmm...not necessarily. It's true I didn't know who you were, but after I heard your presentation the first day I _ definitely _ wanted to work with you. It was like-” Will stops the words before they leave his mouth, he almost said _ love at first sight. _

“Like what?” Hannibal asks gently, changing to the other side of Will’s neck, dropping kisses here and there. Will automatically leans the other way, distracted brain scrambling for an answer.

“Like… like I found where I wanted to be.” _ It’s true. _

_ “ _ Mmm...did you know Will? I have _ never _ asked someone to be my resident like I did for you? Never. I have _ accepted _ residents that apply, but you are the first I made an effort to recruit. That's how special you are.” A thought seems to occur to Hannibal and he pulls back slightly, saying “I'm curious, what would you have done? If I had just given you your assignment that day?”

“I would have taken it, done my first day, and then gone to Gideon to ask if it was possible to change from medical to surgical and if so, what the process was to apply to work with you. At that time I didn’t know it was possible to change and I didn’t even know you were selecting your residents that first day.”

“You didn't think to just ask me?” Hannibal asks, sounding surprised. 

Will scoffs. “Fuck no…” _ Oops _ he thinks, he really needs to curb his language, at least when he’s at work. “I mean, you’re a world renowned surgeon _ and _ Chief of Surgery...and who am I? One of a million residents, who would be asking you primarily an administrative question. No I wouldn't have. For the record I'm incredibly glad you asked me.”

“I'm glad as well…” Hannibal says, kissing behind his ear. Will sighs in happiness, unable to recall a time he was happier than he is in this moment. His happiness is interrupted as Hannibal's pager goes off. Hannibal leans back to check it and Will’s back is instantly colder. When the older Alpha doesn’t immediately return to his position, Will turns around to face him. Before he can ask Hannibal what his page was, his own pager goes off and he scrambles to get it out. _ Fuck, _ four more surgical consults and one stat, in addition to his existing caseload - _ there goes the rest of the day. _He’s immediately even more thankful that Hannibal arranged this for them, knowing now there is no way they will be able to go out tonight. He consoles himself that things won’t always be this busy, it’s just unfortunate timing that it’s at the beginning of their relationship when everything feels so fragile and tenuous. 

“Well, unfortunately duty calls,” Hannibal says. They both stand, and Will folds up the blanket, handing it to Hannibal who packs the blanket and leftover food into a discreet black travel bag. Once done they face one another. Will realizes he's still wearing Hannibal's white coat and starts to shrug it off again when Hannibal's large warm hands grip his upper arms, holding it in place. Will’s hands automatically come to Hannibal's waist and once again it's like they're in their own world. Hannibal leans in to kiss him and Will meets him halfway, sighing at the contact, Hannibal's mouth warm and his nose cold just like Will’s is. When the kiss breaks Hannibal says, “You do look quite fetching in my coat,” as he smooths his hands down the front of Will’s chest over the coat. Will smiles before shrugging out of it and hands it over, rubbing his own arms against the chill. Hannibal puts it on, then picks up the bag and holds out his hand, “Shall we?” Will takes it and together they walk back to the roof access door. 

“Thank you again,” Will says when they get there. 

“You're welcome Will.” Hannibal kisses his hand once more before letting it go and they make their way back into the hospital, choosing to take the stairs instead of the elevator to spend just a little more private time together (rarely does anyone ever take the stairs). When they get to their floor they both pause on the landing, not quite ready for the magic to end but knowing it must. Will is surprised at the fear that grips him, not knowing when he will get a chance to be with Hannibal again this way. He knows it’s irrational, but in the moment he feels desperate for more before this heavenly interlude ends. He checks that there is no one around before stepping into the older doctor’s space, cupping his smooth cheek and leaning up the one inch height difference to kiss him. 

Will intends for it to be a brief kiss, knowing they shouldn't be risking doing this here, but the second his lips meet Hannibal’s he is unable to think of anything but how perfect it feels, getting lost in the mesmerizing feeling of Hannibal’s mouth against his own. All he can think about is how he wants this forever, wants no one else to ever have Hannibal this way, the feeling intensified by the residual knowledge that it may be awhile before they have this opportunity again. Without conscious thought, he lets out a small growl and forces the older doctor back against the concrete wall of the stairwell. 

There is a moment’s pause before Hannibal is gripping at him, equally as fierce as possessive, and kissing him back, even letting out a growl of his own which has Will’s head spinning, awakening something animalistic inside of him, the urge to mark and claim coursing through his veins. His hand comes to grip the soft fine hair at Hannibal’s nape as he drags his mouth down to the temping column of Hannibal’s throat, hearing the older doctor let out a rush of breath. He’s barely skimmed his lips over the tempting flesh there when he hears the sound of a door opening echoing in the stairwell, coming from either above or below them. 

The noise has Will jumping back, realizing exactly where they are. The sight in front of him is one he thinks he’ll never forget. Pristine, professional Dr. Hannibal Lecter, world renowned surgeon, leaning against the wall, skin flushed, mouth wet and red, breathing hard and staring at him intensely. He suspects he looks in a similar state and the thought makes him smile. _ What a sight they must make. _Hannibal returns his smile and they spend a moment smiling goofily at one another. 

“Sorry” Will says, knowing he doesn’t sound sorry at all, “I was taking your advice to not worry so much and relax with myself.” 

“Indeed,” Hannibal says, smiling and pushing gracefully off the wall. Another sound echoing in the stairwell as them snapping into action, with Hannibal gesturing to the door with a wink, saying, “After you.” Will opens the door and they walk out together, going their separate ways at the end of the hallway.

The rest of the day Will is sure he has a ridiculous grin on his face, feeling like a lovesick fool, wishing he could shout to the heavens that he loves Hannibal so much, but seeing as how he can't even tell said man that he loves him, he can't very well tell anyone else, can he?

*

The rest of the day Hannibal smiles every time he catches of whiff of Will’s floral scent from his white coat. As he takes the stairs to his next consult, the memory of the spontaneous kiss Will gave him rushes back and he subsequently finds it hard to focus when he arrives in the Telemetry. He’s supposed to be evaluating if the patient in bed 214B is safe for surgery or not, but realizes he’s been staring at the same page of her chart for the past five minutes re-reading the same sentence. _ Why can’t he focus? What has Will Graham done to him? _He smiles and sighs, deciding there’s nothing for it but to give himself a small break and give in to his wayward thoughts. He pulls out his pager and sends a message. 

H:_ I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT YOU KISSING ME IN THE STAIRWELL _

The return page comes just a moment later and he smiles. 

W: _ STOP DISTRACTING ME I HAVE TO WORK ;) _

Hannibal settles into his chair, replying.

H:_ YOU CAN MULTITASK, I ONLY ACCEPT RESIDENTS THAT CAN MULTITASK WELL _

W:_ HAHA _

Unbidden, Hannibal recalls Will’s smile from the stairwell earlier and how beautiful he was, how he truly lights up when he smiles. 

H:_ YOUR SMILE WAS POSITIVELY RADIANT EARLIER _

W:_ YOU MAKE ME HAPPY _

H:_ YOU MAKE ME HAPPY AS WELL _

*

Will smiles at the page, _ he makes Hannibal happy? _ Knowing he is going to entirely ignore his work for the moment, despite what Hannibal says about multitasking, he saves his progress on his surgery report before settling into the chair at the nurses station. Hannibal’s message earlier caught him off guard and now he finds himself replaying their stairwell kiss in his mind. Smiling, he types,

W: _ GOD NOW I CAN’T STOP THINKING ABOUT IT _

H: _ GOOD _

W: _ GOOD? _

H: _ MISERY LOVES COMPANY _

W: _ DIDN’T YOU JUST SAY I MADE YOU HAPPY? ;) _

H: _ YOU DO, AND YET YOU ARE NOT HERE _

W: _ AND WHOSE FAULT IS THAT? YOU SET MY SCHEDULE ;) _

H: _ YOUR COMPETENCE FORCES ME TO UTILIZE YOU TO YOUR FULLEST WHEN THE HOSPITAL IS AT CAPACITY. NORMALLY I DON’T LET RESIDENTS OPERATE INDEPENDENTLY UNTIL AFTER JANUARY. ANOTHER FIRST _

W:_ I HOPE WE CAN HAVE ANOTHER DATE SOON _

H: _ I HOPE SO TOO _

W: _ IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE IT WILL HAPPEN SOON THOUGH DOES IT? _

H: _ MAYBE THIS WEEKEND? AS LONG AS I DON’T GET CALLED IN _

W: _ THIS HOSPITAL NEEDS TO HIRE MORE DOCTORS _

H: _ CRAWFORD IS CHEAP, RESIDENTS ARE FREE LABOR _

W: _ LOL BASTARD _

H: _ INDEED _

W: _ WHY DON’T YOU BE THE CHIEF OF MEDICINE? _

H: _ I BELIEVE I CAN DO MORE GOOD IN MY CURRENT POSITION _

Will smiles, his mind automatically coming up with a response but unsure if he should send it or not. It only takes him a moment to decide to send it. If Hannibal is sending him pages about missing him then surely some innuendo is okay? He’s never been good at flirting but with Hannibal everything feels so easy.

W: _ I LIKE YOU IN YOUR CURRENT POSITION TOO, ALTHOUGH I’M SURE I’D LOVE YOU IN OTHER POSITIONS ALSO ;) _

Will waits, curious how Hannibal will reply. He doesn’t have to wait long and feels a blush rise to his cheeks as he reads it.

H: _ INDEED, I CAN THINK OF A FEW POSITIONS I WOULD RECOMMEND FOR YOU AS WELL ;) _

W: _ SCHEDULE PERMITTING I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR ALL ABOUT THEM ;) _

H: _ SCHEDULE PERMITTING INDEED, SOON _

W:_ I LOOK FORWARD TO IT, SOON _

H:_ AS SOON AS POSSIBLE _

W:_ ASAP _

H:_ I WORRY THE CONSEQUENCES OF DELAYING _

W:_ CONSEQUENCES? _

H:_ IT’S HARD FOR ME TO CONTROL MYSELF WHEN I’M NEAR YOU _

W: _ REALLY? IT DOESN’T SEEM THAT WAY _

H: _ YOU TEST MY LIMITS _

W:_ HOW DO I DO THAT? _

H:_ JUST BY BEING YOURSELF _

W:_ IT’S HARD FOR ME TO CONTROL MYSELF AROUND YOU TOO _

H:_ REALLY? _

W:_ DON’T LAUGH BUT THE EKG _

H:_ YOU WERE TACHYCARDIC BECAUSE OF ME? _

W:_ YOU BETTER NOT BE LAUGHING _

H:_ I ASSURE YOU I AM NOT, I’M FLATTERED TO HAVE HAD SUCH A MEASURABLE PHYSIOLOGICAL EFFECT ON YOUR PERSON _

W:_ DON’T LAUGH BUT THAT WASN’T THE ONLY PHYSIOLOGIC EFFECT YOU HAD ON ME THAT DAY _

H:_ NOW I AM LAUGHING _

W:_ BASTARD _

H: _ BUT YOU FREQUENTLY HAVE THAT EFFECT ON ME AS WELL _

W: _ FREQUENTLY EH DOCTOR? _

H:_ OH YES IT’S A CHRONIC CONDITION I’M AFRAID _

W:_ MAYBE YOU SHOULD HAVE IT CHECKED OUT BY A DOCTOR _

H: _ THAT’S A GOOD IDEA, CAN YOU RECOMMEND ONE? _

W:_ WELL NOT TO BRAG BUT I’VE BEEN TOLD I’M AN EXTREMELY COMPETENT DOCTOR _

H:_ I DON’T RECALL SAYING “EXTREMELY” _

W_: :P _

H:_ WELL MR. COMPETENT DOCTOR, WOULD YOU BE WILLING TO EVALUATE MY CONDITION? _

W:_ YES BUT YOU’D HAVE TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT _

H: _ SOON _

W:_ I’M SORRY YOU’LL HAVE TO BE MORE SPECIFIC _

H: _ I WILL LET YOU KNOW ASAP _

W: _ I LOOK FORWARD TO IT _

H:_ <3 _

W:_ <3 _

*

Later in the day, just by chance they both end up in the stairwell on their way to the fourth floor, both pausing on the landing. Hannibal hasn’t been able to get Will’s kiss from earlier off his mind, even after their somewhat provocative text exchange. In fact, if anything it made it worse! All he has been thinking about kissing Will, and now here he is in his perfectly kissable glory. Inspired, Hannibal's gaze sweeps over the area, doing a risk assessment of giving in to his desire to kiss Will. He does notice that on this floor there is a small window in the door to the ward, but it’s mostly offices on the other side and he doesn't see anyone through it. 

Deciding the risk is worth it, he takes the opportunity to shove Will back against the wall of the stairwell and kiss him hungrily, desperation pent up from their flirtatious messaging earlier. He inhales Will’s sweet lily of the valley scent, so much stronger than the trace of it left in his coat as he feels the younger Alpha clutch at him, returning the kiss just as passionately. Their mouths open against one another, tongues teasing against each others, sending jolts of pleasure down his spine at every caress. 

Realizing he is unsure how much time has passed, Hannibal reluctantly pulls back from the kiss which causes Will to whimper at the loss. Hannibal looks around, making sure that they are still alone and when satisfied he turns back to the man in his arms, gently running his finger across Will’s strong jawline, over the stubble there. Hannibal takes a breath, smiling at the lovely flush on Will’s face and says, “Okay, you kissed me. I kissed you. Even-Steven.” His words cause Will to laugh, looking down for a moment before their gazes meet again. Then Hannibal continues, tone more serious “But we do have to be careful Will.”

“Yeah I know, I’m sorry, I couldn't resist earlier,” Will says, gaze bashfully dropping again. It’s entirely endearing.

In response Hannibal tilts his chin up with this thumb, forcing their eyes to meet as he says, “Hey, I’m not sorry. Not at all. We just can't always give in to temptation, to every opportunity presented to us. We must be selective, just for the time being.”

“You're right.” Will says with a small smile, then he asks, “Are you almost done?”

“No unfortunately I have an exploratory laparotomy that’s probably going to take the rest of the evening. You can stay or go.”

“Who’s it with?” Will asks.

“Dr. Doemling.”

“Ugh. I’ll go,” Will says, making a face. It’s no secret to Hannibal that Will dislikes Dr. Doemling. Hannibal doesn’t blame him, he doesn’t particularly like the man either, his unfounded smugness is irritating even on his best days.

“A wise decision. My smart resident,” Hannibal says fondly. 

“I learned from the best,” Will says, unconsciously leaning in closer to Hannibal. Hannibal starts to lean in as well and then stops himself, holding Will at a distance around his upper arms.

“Go now, before I have to do a risk assessment,” he says with a wink. 

Will laughs, stepping back reluctantly, “Alright. See you tomorrow.”

“See you then,” Hannibal replies with a smile, both of them exiting the stairwell and continuing on their way.

*

After lunch Abel Gideon is walking back to his office when he sees Hannibal and his resident come out of the stairwell smiling. _Wow they look happy, I guess that partnership is working well,_ he thinks. He continues on his way, wishing his lunch was pleasant enough to make him smile like that. _Bastard_. It's not enough for Hannibal to force him out of his coveted position as Chief of Surgery, but seeing him so happy just rubs salt in the wound. _Ugh_. It hits him especially hard right now as he heads back to his office to process the resident evaluations - an incredibly menial data entry task, well below him for sure. He never had to do stuff like this when he was Chief of Surgery. Of course Hannibal being Hannibal, he made Jack Crawford think it was Jack’s own idea to promote Hannibal and demote him. He made it sound like it was for everyone's benefit, how great Gideon would be in this role, how much of an asset he would be to the hospital, etc. _Sweet talking smarmy bastard._ _He thinks just because he’s so smart and charismatic he can get whatever he wants. _Sometimes Gideon wishes someone would take Hannibal down a peg...nothing terrible, just show everyone that he is human and fallible, not the god that everyone treats him as. Hannibal’s just a man after all. He acts like he’s so above it all but he's not, no one is that perfect. 

With a sigh, Gideon sits in his office and begins entering the resident evaluations into the hospital's computer system _ one by freaking one _ . Hours later he finishes with a sense of accomplishment and a headache. _ This is what the hospital has his skilled surgeons hands doing - data entry! _ It may only be four times per year, but it seriously rubs him the wrong way. He’s asked Crawford for some admin support for the residency program and gotten turned down every time. _ I’m sorry Abel but we just don't have the budget for that. And you're one of the smartest men in this hospital, I'm sure you can find a solution right? _ And with a clap on the shoulder he was dismissed. _ It’s fucking irritating. _

He stands, stretching and cracking his neck, deciding to walk down to the cafeteria to get some coffee before he continues his work. Feeling stiff, he decides to take the stairs on the way down. He heads for the stairwell and stops dead in his tracks when he sees through the small window in the door. _ Is that Hannibal? What is he doing? It looks like he’s kissing…oh my god it's his resident! _ After the initial shock wears off he retreats back into his office when he sees movement. He stands near his office door and pretends to search for something in his filing cabinet, discreetly watching as the two men emerge from the stairwell, smiling and flushed. They walk down the hallway and only when they part ways at the end does Gideon finally drops the act, closing the file cabinet as he reflects on what he’s seen. 

Instantly his mind recalls them smiling as they came out of the stairwell earlier in the day...and then rewinds back to watching them do surgery together months ago..._fuck how long has this been going on? Did Hannibal coerce him into being in a relationship? To changing to surgical? Is Will a victim in this? Were they like this back when he watched them do surgery together? They did seem unnaturally in sync...or was it even before then?_ _Oh god he just did their evaluations! And of course both of them rated each other near perfect! Now the question is...did Will rate him perfect out of love? Or fear of retaliation? Oh lord they don’t pay him enough for this bullshit._

He’s halfway to the phone to report to Crawford what he saw when he hesitates. This could be a blessing in disguise. For once in his life he has something over Hannibal, some leverage to show him he's not to be messed with. He may end up going to Crawford anyway, but there's no rush. He can take his time to decide what his next step is. He just wants to show everyone that Hannibal isn't as great as they think he is. It hurt getting his position taken over by the man who everyone likes better than him, why not take this opportunity to alleviate some of that hurt?

He’s preoccupied with these thoughts as he goes to get his coffee. When he gets back he checks Hannibal's schedule in the computer system. _ Ah, he has a late surgery today. _ He then toggles to Will’s schedule. _ Off at five. Perfect. _ He has a few hours to come up with a plan.

Around 7:30PM, Gideon makes his way over to Hannibal's office, expecting him back any moment now. Since Hannibal’s office is open, he sits in the guest chair to wait. A few minutes later Hannibal enters the office and his step pauses only slightly when he sees Gideon.

“Abel, good evening. What can I do for you?”

“We need to talk Hannibal,” Gideon says, gesturing for Hannibal to sit. Hannibal hesitates only a second before he concedes, eyebrow rising when Gideon shuts the door.

*

Hannibal is tired. It’s been a long day and all he wants is to go home. _ What is this nonsense? _And to be honest the Alpha in him wants to scoff at a Beta like Gideon ordering him to do something, however indirect it may be. He is not in a position of power over him.

Once they are both seated Gideon says, “Hannibal, I don't know what is going on with you and your resident, and truthfully I don't need to know...but I need you to break it off.”

Hannibal’s blood runs cold, but he does his best to remain outwardly unaffected. “I’m not sure what you mean.”

“Hannibal let’s not play games, I saw you kissing him in the stairwell today.” _ Fuck. _ Hannibal mentally cringes. _ This is bad. _ How bad remains to be determined, he needs more information.

“I see...and if I don’t _ break it off _?”

“If you don’t I'm going to be forced to tell Jack Crawford and file an ethics violation report. I’m here as a professional courtesy to give you the chance to avoid us going down that road.” Gideon says, clearly enjoying the power that comes with delivering such an ultimatum. “I’ll give you a week to figure it out Hannibal, after that I will have no choice but to take action.”

“I understand,” Hannibal says, mind already racing a mile a minute to find a solution. 

“Good.” Gideon stands. “Good evening Hannibal,” he says as he leaves.

Now Hannibal is left with his own spiraling thoughts._ Arrrrgh. _ He knew this would be difficult but for fucks sake it's barely been more than week that they’ve started dating! And of course he can't even blame it on Will (not that he would anyway) - Gideon saw _ him _ kissing Will, not vice versa - not that it would make a lick of difference.

Rather than packing up and going home as he had planned, Hannibal sits in his office, no longer doing risk assessment but damage control. Jack Crawford he can manage, there’s no doubt in his mind - Jack can be persuaded as long as you frame it with what is important to him. The ethics violation report...that...that is harder to get around. Not impossible, but it would be a mark on not only his spotless record, but Will’s as well. An unfortunate way for Will to begin his career as a doctor. And of course they would likely separate them...Will would probably be placed with another surgeon._ No,_ Hannibal frowns, _that won’t do at all._ _Surely it would be better just to wait a few months until they can be together properly? If there is grounds for an ethics violation report, maybe he isn't doing the right thing by dating Will? Should he have said no when Will asked him out?_ It sounds awful to his mind but he concedes there was a reason why he hadn't asked Will out himself…

He's so conflicted he gives himself a headache, and when he looks at the clock is surprised it's after nine! He drives home and spends what little is left of the evening nursing a glass of wine and then falling into an uneasy sleep, no closer to deciding what to do…let Gideon file the report and have Will taken away from him? Or postpone dating Will until he graduates? Either way it feels like he loses Will and he doesn’t like that at all!

As he drives to work the next morning he realizes he has to make a decision on what to do. It’s too overwhelming, his love for Will and fear of losing him warring with the practical knowledge that they really should just wait… _ or, _ his mind supplies, could they continue to see each other in secret? How would Gideon know? But that's what he thought before and look where it got them. _ Ughhhh_. And what if he suggested they wait to date each other and Will doesn’t agree? Gets offended? Loses interest? He mentally compromises that until he makes a decision he’ll refrain from any displays of affection at work. It's really what they should be doing anyway. What was he thinking? _ Idiot! _Will makes him lose his common sense. He absently wonders if everyone in love feels this way? 

When Hannibal gets into the elevator there are two other people on it. Just before the door closes Will enters the elevator, smelling of coffee from the cafeteria and his lovely floral scent, both of which fill the space the second the doors close. Will smiles at him, beautiful as always, and nods his head, coming to stand next to Hannibal. 

“G’morning,” Will says.

Hannibal is nervous, second guessing his every action now, afraid of making another mistake that gets them in trouble. He can tell he’s not thinking clearly but can’t do much about it. “Good morning,” he says. It comes out overly formal and he sees the tone land, Will’s smile dying a little and his body leaning away from Hannibal, hurt and confusion ghosting across his face before it settles into something neutral. 

The elevator stops on the third floor and the other two people get off. The second the doors shut Will turns to him, his real smile back. The younger Alpha takes his hand in his own and steps into his personal space. In one motion Will brings his other hand up to Hannibal's jaw, turning Hannibal’s face, and leaning in to kiss him. At the last moment Hannibal panics and turns his head to the side, wanting nothing more than to kiss Will but knowing that this is what got them in trouble. This is where he needs to draw the line.

Will’s kiss lands on his cheek and again the younger doctor pulls back confused, dropping his hand. Before they can exchange any words the elevator arrives at their floor and Hannibal walks out, needing space to breathe in air not saturated with Will’s scent, trying to think.

*

_ What the fuck? _Will was giddy, ecstatic even when he left the hospital last night. Hannibal made him a picnic with delicious food, which he made himself, and wants to have him over for dinner. He had laid on his bed re-reading their pager messages, grinning like an idiot but unable to help himself, already brainstorming things he'd like to do with Hannibal, places they could go on dates. Nearly everything is perfect, the only problem is their unpredictable schedule...but flu and pneumonia season can't last forever, and soon enough they will have another date...and then another, and another…

Eating breakfast this morning his thoughts were all of Hannibal, wanting to kiss him again. Not even lustfully (although that too) but craving more of that pure affection they shared - it’s almost as if now that he's had it, he is addicted. He sees Hannibal walk in from across the cafeteria and quickly rises, dropping his tray at the trash area and briskly walking to the elevator, barely making it in time. Hannibal’s scent concentrates in the elevator after the doors close and he can’t help but take a deep breath, already feeling comforted just by the proximity. Hannibal feels like home. 

He’s a little put off by the stiff greeting but figures it's just a cover for the other people in the elevator. When it’s just the two of them Will can't help but take Hannibal's hand. He knows they need to be careful, but he gives in to his desire, just wanting a quick good morning kiss, done before the elevator reaches their floor. He's both confused and hurt when Hannibal turns his head away - it feels like rejection and it sours his happy loving mood a bit.

Unfortunately before he can ask they arrive at their floor and Hannibal exits the elevator, heading for his office. Will follows, beginning to have an uneasy feeling. _ Was all of this too good to be true? Did he make a mistake? Oh fuck. _When they enter the office Will shuts the door and asks, “Is everything okay?”

Hannibal seems to have a hard time looking at him and that makes him worry more. The older Alpha moves in tandem with him subtly, keeping the desk between them, before he answers. “Yes, everything is fine. I’m sorry. I just think we should keep things professional when at work.”

“Yes sure...sorry,” Will says, feeling stupid, yet his intuition telling him something is still off. 

“It’s fine,” Hannibal says. “I can print my schedule in ICU, you can use the computer here. I'll see you later.” And with that he maneuvers past Will, opening the door and walking out.

*

Hannibal’s mind is swirling with conflicting emotions, fear and desire warring like two beasts inside of him. When Will closes the door he feels trapped, can't think, surrounded by his scent, and somehow the act of holding back only makes him crave Will’s affection more. It’s overwhelming, and for the first time in his adult life he honestly doesn't know what to do. I_ s there no way to save this? Was Dr. Fell right that it can all go to shit in a heartbeat? _ Lord he’s never had a relationship like this and doesn't want to lose it, but more is at stake than just his own career, it’s Will’s too...and so he flees, needing the space to try to find a solution.

*

_ What the fuck was that? _ Hannibal is being distant and evasive. It feels like rejection and it fucking hurts. If Hannibal changed his mind he needs to be a fucking Alpha male and tell him, not beat around the bush! Fuming, Will leaves the office, not wanting to be in Hannibal's space if he's not wanted. It takes him longer than it would have if he just generated his worklist on Hannibal’s computer but he’s too prideful to go back. He eventually finds a free computer in the GI Lab and gets his schedule for the day. Throughout the day his unease only grows. His pager stays markedly silent, and he’s certainly not going to be the first to send one. _ Hell no. _

As the day goes on Will gets more and more angry. It's an unusual feeling for him and an uncomfortable one at that, but he's hurt and his Alpha side translates his hurt to anger without his conscious consent. Part of him wants to hurt Hannibal in kind, but deep down he knows that is the last thing he wants. He wants to be wanted...like he was yesterday. What changed? Did he go too far? He has no idea because Hannibal won't stay in the same space with him long enough to talk! He decides that this is unacceptable, he can't live like this. The next time he sees Hannibal he's going to make his position crystal clear.

*

With some distance and the comfortable routine of medicine focusing his brain, Hannibal slowly calms down. He still has no idea what to do, how to proceed, but he finds some clarity to think._ Is this how the rest of Will’s residency will be? _ Hannibal avoiding him in what feels like a futile attempt to resist him? Or giving in and having Will whisked away to less competent attending physician? The Alpha in him tells him he has to be stronger, be strong enough to resist, strong enough for Gideon to believe they aren't dating. It's the only solution he can see. He can't break up with Will, he just can't. But he also can't imagine them separated at work either. And he certainly isn’t okay with Will’s record being marked with an ethics violation before he’s even finished his residency! Things like that can blackball physicians, making it hard for them to find work. Really, this is the only way. He has to try to restrain his affection during work hours. With this resolve in mind, he makes his way back to his office. When he arrives Will is standing next to the guest chair. _ Why isn't he sitting? And why is his bag packed? What’s going on? _

*

When Will finishes his work for the day he packs his stuff up and almost leaves straightaway; however instead he decides he needs to see Hannibal before he goes, needs to let out some of his pent up anger which has only grown as the day went on. He just_ knows _Hannibal is keeping something from him, and if this is how Hannibal is going to act, he’s honestly not sure he wants this relationship, as sad as it is for him to think that. As soon as Hannibal enters the office Will feels the older doctor’s assessing gaze rake over him. 

“Can we talk or are you going to run away again?” Will asks accusingly. 

Hannibal shuts the door and then stands behind his desk, standing just a little bit taller likely in response to the insult to his person, but he replies, “Yes we can talk, what is on your mind?”

“What is on my mind?!? Hannibal...you've said barely ten words to me today, you're avoiding me.”

“I’m sorry, I have a lot on my mind.”

“What is on_ your _ mind?” he counters, and when Hannibal doesn't answer right away, Will’s heart drops, assuming the worst. Up until now he had felt angry but now the real fear of losing Hannibal is sinking in and his anger has melted into fear. He can’t recall ever being so afraid of losing something and his brain desperately scrambles for some way to keep from losing Hannibal.

“Look, I understand we have to keep it professional. I do. And I’m sorry if I overstepped, it won't happen again-” Will starts to say but Hannibal interrupts him.

“No it's nothing you did Will,” Hannibal says solemnly. 

“Well then what the fuck Hannibal?” Will’s anger returns full force at the lack of answers he’s getting, words flowing freely from his mouth without censor. “Jesus fucking Christ, if this is what dating you is like then I’m not sure I can take it. Call me if you want to talk, otherwise I’ll see you tomorrow, _ Dr. Lecter.” _Will says, words dripping with anger as he opens the door and storms out

*

Hannibal is gobsmacked. And hurt. _ What just happened? _ Will called him _ Dr. Lecter _ with such disdain in his voice. _ No, this isn't how it was supposed to go. _ It almost sounds like Will doesn't want to date him anymore...and that is the last thing Hannibal wants! He has an overwhelming urge to comfort Will, to do whatever it takes to get him back. He panics as he sees Will really is leaving, in fact he’s almost at the elevator and hasn't looked back once. Hannibal acts without thinking, relying on his instinct. All of a sudden things are crystal clear to him, his priorities coming into sharp focus. It's like he had to see a negative in order to see the positive. He wants Will no matter what the consequences are, surely they can navigate them together. Nothing could be worse than losing Will. He can't lose will when he just got him. Why was he so confused? Quickly he runs after him.

“Will wait! Please!” The elevator door opens but Will doesn't move. However he doesn't look back either. Hannibal reaches him in a few strides and stands in front of him, blocking the elevator. Will’s scent is strong, sharper than Hannibal has smelled before. _ Anger, fight or flight. “ _Please, don't go, please.” Hannibal takes his hands in his own and is happy when he doesn't encounter any resistance. Will does look around, likely checking that no one is there to see them before letting out a breath. 

“Will you talk to me?” Will asks, quieter than before, as if all the fight has drained out of him.

“Yes, come back to the office.” Hannibal keeps one of Will’s hands in his own and leads him back, closing the door behind them, all the while not letting go of Will’s hand. Hannibal leans against his desk, half sitting on it and gently pulls Will to stand in front of him, almost between his legs, taking his other hand back into his own. “I’m sorry I was distant today, I meant what I said that I had a lot on my mind.” Will start to pull away so Hannibal holds on tighter and rushes to say, “My mistake was not telling you _ what _was on my mind. I’m sorry.”

“What was on your mind?” Will asks, visibly swallowing.

*

“Dr. Gideon saw me kissing you in the stairwell yesterday,” Hannibal says.

“What?! How?” Will’s mind is swirling, that was the last thing he expected to hear.

“I assume through the small window in the door. He was waiting to talk to me when I got back from surgery. He told me I had one week to end it with you otherwise he’ll go to Crawford and file an ethics violation against both of us.”

“Fuck.” This sounds bad.

“Yes indeed. I've been envisioning all possible outcomes, trying to figure out a solution, when of course there wasn't one to be had.” Will’s blood runs cold at the words, assuming the worst possible outcome. Is he hearing what he thinks he’s hearing? Is Hannibal breaking up with him? Giving up? Why did he even bother calling him back in here. This hurts worse than if he had just let him leave or told him outright...why give him hope just to take it away?

“No?” he asks, almost afraid to hear the answer but unable to bear the uncertainty. 

“No, I made a mistake,” Hannibal says and Will’s heart drops. _ Fuck this is really happening. It really was too good to be true. _Will’s head is spinning, trying to brace himself for what comes next, and is understandably thrown off and confused when Hannibal squeezes his hand and asks him, “What did I teach you about treatment options?”

Will is frozen in confusion, suffering from mental whiplash. _ What does that have to do with anything? _ Feeling quite lost, he fumbles a moment before recalling the answer, trying to make sense of what is happening.

“It’s um...that it’s a joint decision...we as doctors know medicine best, but the patient knows themselves best, they need to be part of the decision,” Will answers, still confused but feeling slightly less hopeless with Hannibal’s hand squeezing his own and his gentle smile.

*

“Yes exactly,” Hannibal says warmly, “...and I didn't include you in the decision Will, even though it affects you too. I’m sorry.” Will’s thumb strokes pleasantly along his hand, some of the tension appearing to leave him and he no longer seems to be a flight risk. “I would love the opportunity to correct my mistake,” Hannibal says, hoping they aren’t beyond repairing this.

Once again Hannibal is surprised by the younger Alpha when rather than giving his opinion on the matter, instead he looks him directly in the eye asks, “What do_ you _ want to do?” Before Hannibal can answer Will quirks a smile and amends, “What is your recommendation _ doctor?” _

Hannibal laughs lightly at Will’s callback to his angry words earlier and then sighs. “I have no recommendation. But I have no doubt in my mind as to what I want. I want you, Will. I'm not ready to give you up, not when I just got you, regardless of the consequences.”

At his words Will smiles beautiful and radiant, stepping closer into Hannibal's space and looking a little bashful as he replies, “I’m not ready to lose you either...consequences and all.” 

The relief that floods Hannibal at those words is immense, hearing proof that Will is as invested in their new relationship as he is, ready to endure consequences to keep what they have. He mentally chides himself, feeling quite foolish - why didn’t he think of talking to Will about this earlier? This is just further proof that they are stronger together than apart - in fact the memory of their first procedure together flashes in his mind, Will catching the incorrect lead placement on the EKG. Yes there is no doubt, both professionally and personally they are better as a team than as individuals. They can tackle this issue together. And right now he wants nothing more than to be with Will. Between being denied so many date opportunities this week by the hospital and nearly losing Will over some bad communication, he wants nothing more than to just be with this remarkable young Alpha in front of him. 

They stare at one another for a moment before Hannibal leans forward, resting his cheek against Will’s, breathing in his floral scent, no longer tinged with anger. A moment later it’s as natural as breathing as they both turn into one another as if pulled together by magnets, nosing and gentle lips against one another’s faces - light, breathy, and intimate. Hannibal feels drunk on the proximity, of being allowed this after almost losing it. What an idiot he was.

Hannibal pulls back enough so that their eyes meet before he untangles their hands to cradle Will’s face and brings their lips together for a kiss. The second their lips meet Hannibal breathes out a sigh of relief. _ Oh it’s perfect, like coming home _, instantly all the tension from the day draining out of him, melting in the kiss. Hannibal feels empowered that regardless of what comes at them, they can handle it as long as they have each other. With the recent fear of losing Will fresh in his mind, Hannibal holds him tightly with his Alpha strength, in a nearly crushing hold, almost as if he wants to absorb Will into his being, then they can't be forced apart 

*

Now that the fear of everything falling apart has been shed, Will is left feeling weak and can't do anything but cling to Hannibal as they kiss passionately against the desk, bodies pressed close to one another. The relief is immense that at least for the time being everything is okay between them, however he can’t help the niggling worry about them getting caught (again). This thought spurs Will into action; he grasps Hannibal’s tie between them and pulls, dragging Hannibal with him until his own back hits the office door. Without breaking the kiss Will blindly presses the button on the door to lock it, feeling the residual tension leave him the click of the lock. 

Hannibal breaks the kiss just enough to huff out a small laugh and say, “Smart boy.”

Will breathes out a small laugh in return before using his Alpha strength to shove the older doctor back into the desk, now feeling free to fully give himself over to this moment of being with Hannibal. Their date feels like ages ago, and with the feeling of almost losing Hannibal fresh in his mind combined with his pent up need from all their denied opportunities this week makes him want to make the most of every moment he has. And right now the moment is decidedly heating up; Will can feel himself getting hard and feels an answering hardness where he’s pressed intimately against the older Alpha.

All of a sudden it feels like the first time, their scents concentrating in the enclosed space of the office and Will feels drunk on it, thinking of nothing but being as close to this man as possible. With a wicked gleam in his eye, he grasps at the lapels of Hannibal's white coat, seeing the moment Hannibal gets the idea and shrugs it off. While Will gets to work on the buttons of Hannibal’s shirt, he feels the older doctor’s large hands come underneath his scrub top, holding his waist on either side, thumb brushing near his belly while his other fingers tighten in his lower back. Everything about it feels right and he feels the urgent need to have as much of their skin touching as possible. 

Will succeeds in getting Hannibal’s shirt open and makes enough space between them to run his fingers over his chest, caressing through his chest hair, surprised at the groan that escapes him. _ Oh god _ he never even considered that he would like such a thing but it so fucking hot, so Alpha and manly - a reminder that while he himself is an Alpha male, Hannibal is most certainly _ also _ an Alpha male, and more stereotypically Alpha than him to boot. It’s a titillating reminder that he is not the strongest Alpha in the room, not by far, and is surprised to find the thought excites him; in a way it’s freeing that he does not need to hold back as he had to with Margot or other partners. 

Hannibal's eyes flutter as Will brushes over a nipple, their crotches grinding together, rutting against one another. Their breath intermingles between them, both panting and groaning at how good it feels, sharing the relief that for this moment, that nothing will come between them. When Hannibal’s eyes reopen, he pulls on the hem of Will’s scrub top and Will quickly shrugs it off, it landing on the floor. When their bare chests come into contact, they both moan, the urgency of the encounter building. They return to kissing, now almost violently, with both lips and teeth, the occasional growl escaping one of them as Will reaches between them to undo Hannibal's belt, dragging his lips down to jaw, then his neck as he says, “Oh god Hannibal I want you.”

*

Hannibal can only moan helplessly as Will ravishes him against his own desk - once again the younger Alpha has surprised him, but that is nothing new. It’s been only a little over a week since they were first intimate and Hannibal can’t believe he forgot just how good it feels being with Will this way, it’s nearly indescribable, he’s never felt this helpless with a partner, ever; never felt helpless but to receive such pleasure at another’s hand, yet he wouldn’t have it any other way. He could tell right away that Will was unique, different, special, and Hannibal was certainly not wrong. 

His thoughts are derailed when the younger doctor succeeds in getting his pants open he shoves them down to the floor. It feels odd to be so exposed in his own office but he barely has time to notice before all thought is wiped from his mind at the vision before him. Will drops to his knees in front of him, hands cradling Hannibal's hips, lips kissing the bone of his hip, before one hand grasps his straining erection and strokes him, all the while looking right at him. It’s almost overwhelming, Hannibal feels caught in Will’s spell. In fact Hannibal doesn’t think he's ever been so turned on, he’s honestly stunned into inaction. Will is half naked on his knees before him, tented scrub pants, and mouth swollen red from their kisses. It’s an incredibly arousing sight and his cock twitches in Will’s grip. 

Will looks up at him, expression smug, as if he knows exactly what he’s doing to Hannibal as he asks, “May I?” gaze flitting to Hannibal's cock, intention clear. Hannibal can only nod, feeling his cock twitch again in anticipation as Will shifts forward, taking the tip into his mouth and licking before working his way down with light suction, gradually taking more and more on each bob of his head.

* 

The second that Will succeeds in shoving Hannibal’s pants down and clearly sees his erect Alpha cock in the fluorescent lighting of the office, his mouth waters. Inspired, he follows his instinct to reciprocate what Hannibal did for him during their last encounter and happily drops to his knees. 

It's been awhile since Will has done this, and never with an Alpha, but he does his best, working his way down. He instantly recognizes Hannibal's unique taste from last time and groans, belatedly realizing he should at least try to be quiet, remembering exactly where they are but finding it hard to care. He had thought he lost Hannibal and feels the instinctual need to claim him in every way possible, to strengthen their connection not only through words and actions, but through their bodies. Of it’s own volition his mind envisions him fucking Hannibal against his own desk which causes him to groan again around his mouthful of Alpha cock.

He chooses that moment to look up at Hannibal and sees he looks wrecked, loose tie around his neck, open dress shirt hanging off of his shoulders, eyes wide, and breathing hard as he stares at Will in awe, captivated. It makes Will feel powerful, loving that he is doing this to the older Alpha. It makes him want to push Hannibal over the edge, to give in to the feeling that they are so right together, it feels innately wrong to have to hold themselves back, unnatural, even though he understands why. He pushes those thoughts from his mind, relishing sharing this experience with the older doctor, able to take in so much more detail than their last encounter in his sober state and with better lighting. Seeing the glistening sweat on Hannibal’s skin, smelling his warm spicy scent enhanced with Alpha arousal, the detail of the few gray hairs interspersed with the otherwise golden hair on his chest and groin, the taut muscles of his abdomen, everything about the moment feels in technicolor, vivid and precious.

Will bobs his head a little faster, increasing his suction, taking him down as deep as he can, breathing through his nose and letting his tongue slide against his cock. Hannibal's breath quickens in response and his long fingers thread in Will’s hair, gentler than he expected. While Will appreciates the consideration behind the gentleness, part of him wants Hannibal to be so far gone he can't think to be gentle with him; and if he’s honest with himself part of him doesn’t want him to be gentle. One of his hands covers Hannibal’s on his head and clenches both of their fingers tightly in his hair. Quickly Hannibal gets the hint, both hands now locked onto his curls and Will moans his approval, feeling the slight pull to his hair and the involuntary push of his cock deeper into his mouth. As he continues he feels Hannibal’s knot swelling, his mouth stretching to accommodate the wider girth as best he can on every downstroke. He can’t get it all, there's just no way. Instead he brings one hand to the base, gripping it firmly around his knot while the other hand grips Hannibal's ass, encouraging him to thrust.

“Will-” Hannibal says desperately. When Will looks up, Hannibal’s eyes are glossy, his face flush, and he is heartbreakingly gorgeous as he says, “Will I’m close.” To Will it’s unclear if it’s a warning or a plea and he moans, loving how desperate Hannibal sounds because of him. Will would smile if he could but instead he speeds up, squeezing Hannibal’s knot tighter as he strokes him, sucking hard. A moment later he hears a choked sound and everything happens at once - his hair is pulled in a tight painful hold, his head shoved forward causing him to nearly choke, in fact the only thing that stops him from choking is because his hand is still on Hannibal’s knot as Hannibal comes down his throat. Will does his best to swallow, not totally successful as out of practice as he is, but he milks him through his orgasm, rhythmically squeezing his knot, until the hand in his hair loosens and stays him. 

A moment later Hannibal pulls him up, still panting and kisses him, soft, pliant and entirely cute. Will groans into the kiss, his own dick straining in his pants, unable to help grinding into Hannibal’s sated body. As he stood he caught a glimpse of Hannibal's bare ass against the desk and makes a spur of the moment decision. He breaks the kiss, shimmying his scrub bottoms and underwear down as he says in a gruff, lust-addled voice, “Turn around for me beautiful.”

There is a moment's pause when Will wonders if he overstepped, the endearment just kind of slipped out but it makes it no less true. He doesn’t have to wait long though because Hannibal complies, turning around and Will is greeted with a gorgeous sight - Hannibal bent over his own desk, open dress shirt hanging off his muscular shoulders, and ass bare, looking back at him over his shoulder. _ Fuccck. _

Will comes up behind him, pressing their bodies together intimately, his front to Hannibal’s back. He grabs Hannibal's shirt at the collar and pulls it down forcefully, roughly kissing and scraping his teeth over Hannibal's neck and back, breathing in his warm Alpha scent. 

“Oh god Hannibal, the things you do to me, the things you make me want to do…” Will says, feeling drunk on his arousal, on his attraction to this incredible man. His dick slips between Hannibal's cheeks and he thrusts up vertically, hands gripping the older Alpha’s hips to hold him in place. It's good, so incredibly good, but not enough to get him off, the slide is only lubricated by the precome that has leaked out of him. He’d honestly love to fuck Hannibal right now but knows he doesn’t have the patience nor the supplies to do it properly. And if he’s honest with himself, he really would like their first time to be more special than a tryst in their office...plus they haven't had the ‘What are you okay with?’ conversation yet; Will knows some Alphas refuse to be fucked. So instead he steps back, angling his cock down between Hannibal’s legs, then motioning for him to close his thighs and_ oh fuck that is so much better _. He thrusts in and out, cock parting the soft skin of Hannibal's inner thighs and he moans, “Oh god Hannibal, is this okay?”

“Yes Will, yes,” Hannibal says, sounding as wrecked as Will feels. 

Will presses closer, not a centimeter between their bodies, chest to back, hips to hips, as he thrusts in and out quicker and quicker, moans spilling freely from his lips, mouthing at Hannibal's back. The new position has the head of his cock hitting against Hannibal’s balls and he moans. It’s so good, Hannibal bent over for him like this; it’s so easy to imagine he’s fucking the older doctor, imagines he will come inside of him and with that thought Will feels himself tip over the edge, climaxing. 

“Oh god Hannibal-” Will bites his back as he comes, the first spurt going between Hannibal’s legs and then Will leans back, stroking himself through the rest, hand tight on his knot as he comes over Hannibal's ass. His orgasm is nearly overwhelming in its intensity, as wave after wave of pleasure passes over him. Once the final wave of pleasure has passed, he then slumps forward to rest against the older Alpha, his sweat mixing with Hannibal’s as he catches his breath, kisses his back tenderly, over the marks his teeth left, feeling Hannibal sigh contentedly below him. 

Realizing they're going to be glued together if he doesn't move, Will reluctantly steps back and pulls up his pants, not bothering to try to clean up, figuring he was going to shower anyway when he gets home. When Hannibal turns around to face him, Will has a brief moment of worry that he went too far again (_ did he really just bend his attending over his own desk and come on his ass? Oh lord _) but Hannibal simply smiles at him, almost bashfully and pulls up his own pants. He then pulls Will to him and kisses him tenderly. Will feels like his emotions are raw, exposed at the surface and tears prickle in his eyes as the kiss ends but they continue to rest their faces against one another’s. It’s intimate, perfect, and hel wishes they could stay this way, cuddled together in bed rather than standing in a hospital office. 

As time goes on reality slowly encroaches back on Will’s mind and he raises his eyes to Hannibal’s, leaning back just a little within their embrace but still holding on, asking,

“So what do we do about Gideon? Just wait to let him report us? Do you think I'll have to transfer?” Will hopes the answer is no. As perfect as it feels to be here in Hannibal’s arms, he knows whatever path ahead of them isn’t going to be easy and he hopes he won’t have to transfer.

*

Hannibal sucks in a breath, concern about their predicament returning, the peace of the moment broken. Reflexively he holds Will tighter to him, unwilling to let anything come between them. Mind clearer now that he has Will securely in his arms, he tries to come up with a solution and has an idea. Feeling calmer with a plan in his mind, he responds, “Let me handle Gideon, I have an idea. You won’t need to transfer...but there _ is something _ you could do to help me…”

“What is it?” Will asks, sounding curious. Hannibal takes his hands in his own, kissing the back of them gently, reverently, fully appreciating the unique man in his arms.

“Will you be my date to the hospital Christmas party?” When Will looks up at him in surprise, Hannibal winks at him, enjoying the bashful way Will smiles and looks down. A moment later his words seem to land and Will’s returns his gaze, eyes narrowing in suspicion.

“When is it?” he asks, likely remembering the one week deadline from Gideon’s ultimatum.

“Next Saturday,” Hannibal answers calmly. In response Will smiles wide and Hannibal couldn't stop his own smile even if he wanted to. His smart Will has likely already realized that the party is before Gideon’s deadline. In order for his plan to work they’re going to have to go public. Will doesn’t make him wait long for an answer.

“Yes, I’d love to.”

“Excellent, I look forward to it,” Hannibal says with a smile, kissing the back of Will’s hand once more. They enjoy each others’ proximity awhile longer before redressing and straightening up to leave for the day. They part ways a their usual spot, however, rather than go to his car, instead Hannibal walks down to Jack Crawford’s office. He checks his watch on the way down, it’s only six, workaholic Jack should still be here.

On the way down Hannibal does stop in the restroom to check his appearance. He is amused to find his hair got a bit tousled when Will bent him over his desk. He shivers at the memory, the rough but tender way Will manhandled him, the possessive way he came on him, almost marking his territory. It’s been a long time Hannibal has been with an Alpha male, and he can’t deny he loves it. He loves being with someone equal to himself. He also makes a token attempt to clean up said marking while he’s in the restroom, but Will’s come has dried, making his skin feel tight there - every step he takes is a reminder of their recent activities but he has no regrets whatsoever.

When he arrives he sees Jack sitting at his desk - it looks like he’s packing up for the day as his computer screen is black and his briefcase is visible on the ground next to the desk. 

“Why if it isn’t Dr. Lecter. Come in! To what do I owe the pleasure sir?” Jack says, smiling and standing, offering his hand. Hannibal shakes it. 

“Good evening Jack, do you have a moment? There’s something I need to discuss with you.” At that Jack’s smile disappears and he gets serious. 

“Yes, of course, please sit down.” Hannibal can sense the worry coming off of Jack in waves, Jack has an uncanny sense for detecting problems despite his average intelligence. Hannibal supposes that ability serves him well as an administrator. Hannibal shuts the door and sits, seeing Jack do the same, hands clasped on top of the desk. After a beat he says, “So, what do you need to discuss with me?”

Hannibal decides to cut right to the chase. Direct communication is usually best when communicating with Alphas.

“I’m dating Will,” he says evenly, watching for Jack’s reaction. There is a moment of confusion on his face before his eyes narrow in accusation.

“Will Graham? Your resident?”

“Yes, the same.”

“Hannibal, no,” Jack says sternly, leaning back.

“Jack, hear me out,” Hannibal says calmly. He sees the moment of indecision on Jack’s face. As an Alpha and the head of the hospital Jack is used to getting what he wants, and not used to being told what to do or defied. However they have always had a mutual respect for one another; Hannibal brings lots of of acclaim to the hospital and never causes any problems. He sees the moment the scales tip in his favor as Jack sighs and leans back on the desk, hands folded once more; Hannibal restrains himself from smiling in victory.

“Okay talk,” Jack says a little gruffly. 

“We’re in love,” Hannibal says. It’s not necessarily a lie, he knows he is in love with Will and hopes Will could be in love with him too. Regardless, he knows the strategy he needs to play to win over Jack and will stop at nothing to get what he wants. 

“What?” Jack says, eyes narrowing again, looking like that was not what he expected to hear. _ Perfect. _

“You heard me,” Hannibal says, remaining calm, watching Jack reconcile the words he is saying.

“Really?” he asks skeptically, “So it’s serious?”

“Yes,” Hannibal says, keeping his tone even. He sees Jack lean back once more, letting out a breath.

“That’s all the more reason why this can't fly Hannibal. You're his _ attending_,” Jack says, holding out his hands for emphasis as if it should be obvious. Hannibal expected as much and is ready, saying calmly,

“Jack how long have you known me?” Jack settles back in, resting his arms on the desk, looking both skeptical and resigned. 

“A long time.”

“Yes, a long time. And have I _ ever _ allowed my emotions to sway my objectivity in my line of work?”

“No, you haven't,” Jack answers easily but not won over in the slightest, almost humoring him.

“And have I ever asked you for anything? For any favors?”

“No you haven't, but you have to understand how it will look from the outside,” Jack says, apparently trying to cut off Hannibal’s argument.

“Would it look any worse than a physician dating a patient?” Hannibal asks innocently.

“Who-” Jack starts to ask accusatory before he falls silent and Hannibal holds back his smile once more. After a moment Jack leans back a little, reflexively looking down at his wedding ring before looking back at Hannibal, saying, “That was different,” in a softer voice.

“How is that different Jack?” Hannibal asks evenly, looking him in the eye. “You found the love of your life in an unlikely place, but you felt how real it was, how she was the one, did you not?”

“I did,” Jack says, sounding slightly irritated and pinching the bridge of his nose with his fingers, looking down. 

“And did you let the rules get in the way of your love?” Hannibal asks, tone still even and gentle.

“Hell no,” Jack says, looking up at Hannibal as if the thought of him letting anything come between him and Bella is absurd. 

“Then why do you expect me to?” Hannibal asks, still maintaining his calm.

“I-” Jack starts but falls silent again, thinking before he continues. “This is different Hannibal, you're evaluating his skills. Surely if you care about him like you say you do, it would be difficult if not impossible to be truly objective.”

Hannibal pretends to give that some thought for a moment before he responds. “If you don't trust my objectivity, how about you let another surgeon evaluate his skills during his quarterly evaluation. I will still be his attending, still teach and mentor him, but you can have another surgeon of your choice do the official evaluations.”

“It would be simpler just to transfer him to another surgeon…” Jack says, looking at Hannibal directly. 

“Jack...you know doing that would be a disservice not only to Will, but to the hospital too. You know I only take the best residents, and Will is the best I have ever had. If you take him away from me you are going to limit his potential. He could be a great asset to this hospital. Could even publish…” Hannibal lets his sentence trail off, letting the words sink in.

“He’s that good?” Jack asks, borderline skeptically.

“You doubt my judgment?” Hannibal asks with mostly mock accusation, causing Jack to smile.

“No Hannibal, I know better than to do that.”

“But do you know what _ would _look bad for the hospital?” Hannibal prompts, piquing Jack’s curiosity and going in for the kill, so to speak. 

“What?” Jack is looking at him intensely, Hannibal knows the hospital’s status is one of the most important things in the world to Jack, second only probably to Bella. 

“An ethics violation report.”

“Oh yeah JCAHO would be on us in a heartbeat. Why do you say that?” Jack asks, his posturing shifting, his tension visible. 

Hannibal takes a breath and says, “Dr. Gideon intends to file one against Will and I if we don't terminate our relationship by the end of the week.” 

“And you want me to stop him for you?” Jack says with a sigh.

“I want you to stop him because it’s the right thing to do for the hospital, Jack. The fact that it benefits my agenda is pure coincidence.”

“Right,” Jack says, sounding skeptical. “The fact that you're asking me to do this _ sounds like an ethics violation _itself.” 

“I’m asking you to understand that opportunities for true love often defy rules and come at inopportune times, but just because they do doesn't mean we shouldn't grab them. Or are you saying an ethics violation should have been filed when you asked Bella out?” Hannibal asks innocently.

“No of course not!” Jack says defensively.

“Then please extend me the same courtesy that you did for yourself. I promise you it will benefit the hospital in the long run.” Hannibal can see that he's won, as Jack is smiling and shaking his head in disbelief.

“Why can't you ask me for expensive equipment like everyone else does?” Jack says with a wry smile 

“What I’m asking for is priceless Jack,” Hannibal says solemnly, causing the smile to fall from Jack’s face as he looks at him seriously.

“You really are in love aren't you?” he asks, almost incredulously.

“Yes I am,” Hannibal says, feeling his eyes moisten at the power of giving voice to his feelings. This is the first time he’s spoken it aloud.

“With your resident? An Alpha male?” Jack continues, still sounding like he can’t quite believe what he is hearing.

“Yes. I agree it was a surprise, albeit the best surprise I have ever received,” Hannibal says, surprised also at the words coming out of his mouth. 

“Okay! You win, get out and take your sappiness with you. Yes I will talk to Gideon,” Jack says with an amused smile. 

“Thank you Jack,” Hannibal says, shaking his hand.

“You owe me, Hannibal,” Jack says, pointing at him. 

“You know I’m good for it,” Hannibal replies from the doorway with a wink. 

“Yeah I do, now get out of here,” Jack says with a fond smile. 

“Good night,” Hannibal calls as he walks out, allowing himself to smile smugly now that he is out of Jack’s line of sight. He got exactly what he wanted, as he expected.

“Good night,” Jack’s voice echoes behind him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Medical Terminology:**
> 
> \- Census \- number of patients admitted to the hospital, more patients=more work  
\- Code \- way of announcing some sort of emergency to everyone, typically referencing a "code blue" which is a medical emergency  
\- Exploratory laparotomy \- also called exp-lap, is a surgical operation where the abdomen is opened and the abdominal organs examined for injury or disease, often done when you don't know exactly what they problem is, like "Well I don't know, let's go in there and take a look"  
\- EKG \- short for echocardiogram, way to measure heart rhythm, that earthquake looking spiky up down thing  
\- GI Lab \- stands for gastrointestinal lab, a place in the hospital where GI procedures like colonoscopies and EGDs are done  
\- Hernia repair \- surgery to repair a hernia, which is usually when the stomach or intestine has protruded through the abdominal muscle creating a bulge and discomfort  
\- Flu \- short for influenza, a virus that mutates every year and causes mostly respiratory symptoms like coughing and runny nose but also body aches, fever, etc. PSA: Please get your flu shot every year unless you have a medical reason not to. Many people die from flu every year and even if you are young and healthy, if you get the vaccine you are less likely to pass on the flu to someone who could die from it (elderly, immunocompromised, etc).  
\- ICU \- short for intensive care unit, where the most medically unstable patients are  
\- JCAHO \- pronounced "Jay-co", short for Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations, essentially they routinely audit hospitals and can shut hospitals down if they aren't doing what they are supposed to do.  
\- Medsurg \- short for medical and surgical ward of a hospital, where patients with medical issues or pre or post surgery patients are kept - you might be saying to yourself, "isn't that most patients who are in the hospital?" why yes smart reader you are right, it is typically a very large ward of the hospital haha  
\- Pneumonia \- an often severe respiratory infection, often elderly and other at-risk groups end up getting pneumonia during flu season, especially in winter like this chapter takes place in. Typically if you hear someone died from the flu they likely developed pneumonia and then either respiratory failure or sepsis (blood infection) from it. I repeat, please get your flu shot every year.  
\- Post-op \- short for "post operative" but in this chapter I use it as short for "post-operative report" meaning the report surgeons write up after performing surgery, typically consisting of what they did, what they found, recommendations for what happens next, etc.  
\- Surgical consult \- when a doctor wants a surgeon's opinion or service on a patient's case they would order a "surgical consult" - usually it's having the surgeon evaluate if a patient is safe for surgery and then if so, performing whatever surgery they need  
\- Stat \- medical way of saying "This is really important and needs to be done RIGHT NOW"  
\- Tachycardic \- medical way of saying very fast heart beat/heart rate  
\- Telemetry \- so the word telemetry means collecting data/measuring/monitoring, so the telemetry ward of the hospital is usually where patients are placed when they are not sick enough for ICU, but need more close monitoring than MedSurg can do. Typically it's cardiac patients who have their heart rhythm constantly being monitored here 
> 
>   
  
  

> 
> ♥♥♥ Huge thank you to all who have read, left kudos, and/or commented!! It means so much to me! ♥♥♥
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
> Like the story? Feel free to share it using the link [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com/post/187169160074/opportunity) ^_^ 


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Christmas party, their relationship goes public, and Hannibal gets his rut
> 
> (aka fluff and smut - I hope you enjoy 😉)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas Fannibals! 😙❤️🎄
> 
> Sorry for the longer interval between updates, I'm working on multiple fics simultaneously now.🙃
> 
> (Medical terminology is in the end notes but there's not much in this chapter)

Will didn't think it was possible, but the hospital gets even busier week before the Christmas party. The days begin to bleed into one another, separated only by the precious few hours of sleep he gets each night, interspersed with copious amounts of coffee and precious few snuck kisses hello and goodbye.The hospital remains at capacity, so much so that one day they have to divert non-emergency patients to a nearby hospital.

Part of the reason they are worked to the max is due to the influx of sick patients thanks to flu season being in full swing and the rapid drop in temperature. However later Will learns that another part is, surprise surprise, Jack Crawford is trying to work all the staff physicians as hard as he can so that the more expensive per diem doctors they hire for the day of the Christmas party have the least possible work to do. _ Penny pinching bastard _ Will thinks bitterly as he blindly signs the orders Abigail puts in front of him. 

As Will leaves the hospital late Friday, he finally allows his brain to think about tomorrow - the hospital Christmas party. He and Hannibal have barely had time to talk about the plan, but from what Will understands tomorrow is close to the deadline Gideon gave Hannibal to end their relationship. And instead of ending it they are going public. On paper it sounds like a very risky plan, but he trusts that Hannibal has more of a plan than that, because he imagines Gideon isn’t above kicking him out of the residency if he doesn’t get his way.

One thing Will did have the forethought to do is to rent a tux, because from what he understands it’s _ that type of party_. Plus he’s pretty sure that his existence alone is going to lower Hannibal’s glowing reputation, so the least he can do is to try to not look like the shabby poor resident that he actually is. He already feels like a hobo half the time standing next to Hannibal in his expensive tailored suits.

As he lays in bed that night, despite being tired, for the first time in recently Will has trouble falling asleep, his mind awake as the significance of tomorrow finally sinks in - _ everyone _ is going to know. _ Everyone. _Fuck. Is he going to have to dance? What will he say when people ask how long they've been dating? How does he introduce himself? He guesses he can say they're dating? He assumed they are exclusive but they haven't said “boyfriends” before...oh god why didn't he think of these things sooner? 

He almost texts Hannibal but when he picks up his phone he sees it is nearing one in the morning and sets it back down. No, he trusts Hannibal - if he says he has it handled then it’s handled. Instead he tries to focus on his excitement of no longer having to hide, of actually having time to spend with Hannibal. It may be a work event but he hopes they get to spend some time together after. Despite the fact that he can't shake all of his worries, he is able to finally fall asleep.

*

The day of the Christmas party Hannibal has to admit he feels some trepidation, but suspects it’s mostly curious excitement. It’s been a long time since he's toyed with someone this way, petty defiance just because he can, but his Alpha ego refuses to be cowed by Beta Gideon. Truth be told, had Gideon not tried to assert his superiority, Hannibal might have handled this differently. But he didn’t. And unfortunately for Gideon, if you play you pay. However Hannibal admits that his plan is predicated on things going as he anticipates...and for better or worse, anything so far involving Will Graham he can’t always predict. But knowing he has Jack on his side makes the deck stacked in his favor so he’s willing to take the risk.

*

Will has butterflies in his stomach as he gets ready and he can't recall feeling this nervous since...well _ ever _ . If he’s honest with himself, he can't even pinpoint why he's nervous, but if he had to guess he supposes it’s fear of some unknown force keeping him and Hannibal apart. One thing he is certainly _ not _afraid of and is actually looking forward to is not having to hide his affections for Hannibal anymore; he will have freedom to hold his hand, kiss him (within reason in public)...and hopefully more afterwards. 

Will’s worry from the night before resurfaces about him dragging Hannibal’s reputation down. He could give two shits about what people think about him, he's used to rubbing people the wrong way - he’s been told he has the man version of resting bitch face. But Hannibal...Hannibal is revered like a god in this hospital, and rightly so in Will’s opinion. Therefore he can't help but worry about the effect of their relationship on Hannibal’s reputation - not only for the fact that he's dating his resident, which is controversial in itself, but that they are two Alpha males dating. 

It shouldn't matter, it truly shouldn't. It’s no ones business, but he's heard the same stories everyone's heard, the old wives tales about how two Alpha males never work out, how it's unnatural, doomed from the get go, seen as taboo to talk about, let alone flaunt. Because of this even famous men usually keep their Alpha-Alpha relationships private for fear of the backlash affecting their career. Overall things are better than they were years ago when particularly radical groups would make threats and commit hate crimes, but he’s intelligent enough to know that it won’t make their already controversial situation any easier. 

Later that day, Hannibal arrives to pick him up for the Christmas party. Will tried to talk him out of it - after all it's just a short walk around the block - but Hannibal insisted so Will relented. After he has closed the door to the Bentley, he admits he’s glad for Hannibal's forethought as he is immediately kissed quite thoroughly in the passenger's seat. 

“You look ravishing Will,” Hannibal says with a wink. Will blushes but maintains eye contact as he replies, 

“You look quite ravishing yourself, _ doctor _ .” Will is pleased to see the older Alpha smile bashfully and look down, a slight blush coloring his cheek in response. Ever since their argument Will has taken to pointedly calling him _ doctor _ occasionally and has been quite amused by the almost demure reaction he gets each time. Shortly after Hannibal has parked the car in the parking garage and takes his hand, kissing the back of it. 

“Are you ready?”

“As ready as I'll ever be I guess...what do I say when people ask? I’m sure people are going to ask how long have we been...together,” Will finishes somewhat lamely, unsure of what exactly to call their situation.

“I find the truth is the best course of action in cases like this, but only the minimum required for people of no consequence. They will be very nosy and I hope they won’t sour our evening together.”

“That’s impossible. This is our first night out together in what feels like forever, I’m not letting anyone ruin it,” Will says.

The older doctor smiles warmly at him, squeezing his hand which causes Will to look at him. Hannibal reaches over with his other hand and trails a finger along Will’s jaw. In response Will closes his eyes, basking in the attention - it's such a small touch but it feels imbued with affection, adoration, and even stirs a small amount of arousal in him, his skin tingling wherever Hannibal’s finger touches.

“If I may be so bold, may I introduce you as my boyfriend when people ask?”

Will smiles big squeezing Hannibal's hand back, then threading their fingers together, saying, “Only if I can call you my boyfriend also.”

“Well that's only fair,” Hannibal says with a conspiratorial grin. Will closes the distance over the console, kissing the older man, feeling drunk on love and happiness. Right now he honestly wishes they could drive somewhere else but he knows Hannibal can’t back out of this, and of course he wants to be where the older Alpha is so the choice is made. He makes a conscious effort to pull back before he gets too lost in the kiss, his blue eyes looking too closely into Hannibal's amber ones. 

“Well, shall we?” Will asks, knowing they do eventually have to get out of the car.

“If we must,” Hannibal replies, pretending to be put upon. And with that they exit the car and make their way to the hospital’s banquet hall. 

As they wait in line to enter they see everyone is dressed in red, black, and gold, with a few green, white and silver outfits sprinkled among the guests. When they get to the person who checks them in (it’s Timi from Medical Records), she says “Oh Dr. Lecter! You brought your resident as your guest! Remind me of his name.”

Will bristles a little at being spoken about like he's not standing right here but lets it slide. It's easier for him to not be bothered just for having the older doctor next to him - after all, what really matters when they are together?

“His name is Dr. Will Graham and he's my _ date _ ,” Hannibal says politely but firmly. In response Will nods her direction. He tries not to smile too much but its a near thing, feeling disbelieving joy bubble up inside of him - _ fuck this is really happening _.

Timi’s jaw looks like it’s come unhinged as she gapes for a moment before she stumbles over her words, “A-a-apologies Dr. Lecter, Dr. Graham...have a wonderful evening.” 

Will nods his head again in acknowledgement. Hannibal offers his arm, eyebrow raised and Will smirks as he takes it. As an Alpha he would normally be the one doing the arm offering, but he could honestly care less. He feels no competition, no need to prove his Alpha status with the older doctor. Wanting to live up to his professional expectations and be worthy of his mentorship is another story, but on the romance side he feels nothing but bliss. So arm in arm, they enter the banquet hall, hearing a murmur of voices behind them. The sound reminds Will of his worry about Hannibal’s reputation being dragged down by their relationship and he finds himself turning towards Hannibal, saying softly, “Kind of a foreboding reaction don't you think?”

However Hannibal doesn’t appear the least bit worried as he replies calmly, “Some surprise is to be expected.”

“So it begins then,” Will says, squeezing Hannibal's arm. 

He squeezes it back, and smiles as he says, “Yes so it begins.”

*

The first few hours of the Christmas party are for cocktails and mingling, so they both grab a drink and make their way around, frequently getting stopped by people calling, “Oh Dr. Lecter!” Will almost feels like he’s the boring unknown date of a celebrity until the moment he gets introduced and then the attention on him is nothing compared to Hannibal. 

The reactions to their relationship tend to fall into one of two categories - _ the gushers and the struck dumb _ . The _ gushers _ instantly start asking him a million questions. “How long has this been going on? Who asked who? Oh isn't that scandalous?!? (giggles) Well you know my friend met their husband through work…oh you're an Alpha too! Oooo well, you must be something pretty special there Dr. Graham. (more giggles)”

“Indeed he is, I’m sorry ladies and gentlemen, if you'll excuse us,” Hannibal says as he extricates him for the third time in less than an hour.

The _ struck dumb _ are a little more awkward. They tend to be the older more stoic folks, and they almost seem like they don't know how to respond once Hannibal introduces him. 

“Boyfriend?”

“Yes.”

“But he’s your resident?”

“True, but he’s not my resident forever. I assure you it has been addressed through appropriate channels.”

Then after a moment. “But..but he's an Alpha?” After the second time it occurs it doesn’t even phase Will that he’s once again being talked about as if he isn’t standing right fucking here.

“I am aware,” Hannibal says, taking Will’s hand in his own and that seems to be the end of the conversation.

As they leave the most recent awkwardly ended conversation, Hannibal excuses himself to the restroom, so Will decides to use the time to get them new drinks. As he does someone comes up next to him and elbows him in the ribs. He quickly adjusts, trying not to spill the drinks he’s holding. He’s about to glare at the offending person when he sees who it is and can’t help but smile. 

“Is it true?” Beverly asks.

“Hello to you to,” Will says sarcastically but he’s smiling as he says it.

“Fine, hello. Is what everyone is saying true? You’re Dr. Lecter’s boyfriend?!?”

Will raises his eyebrows at that. “We’re _ each others boyfriends _, yes. Jesus Christ.”

“Oh. My. God. Will!” Beverly hits him on the back, causing him to take a few steps away from her a little, mindful of the drinks he’s holding. He’s about to glare at her but the expression on her face stops it from forming - Beverly is smiling so big it’s hard for him not to smile back. “You did it, you fucking did it, I can’t believe it! You’re dating the Chief of Surgery, your attending...how does that even work? How long has this been going on? And why didn’t you tell me?!?” 

She looks like she’s winding up to smack him again and instinctively Will backs up more, encountering a body behind him. He’s about to step away and apologize when a strong familiar arm encircles his waist, staying him, as another plucks a drink out of his hand and Hannibal’s clove scent reaches his nose.

“Am I interrupting?” the older doctor’s smooth voice asks. Beverly drops her arm, instantly looking on her best behavior. 

“No Dr. Lecter, you’re not interrupting,” she says, shifting into professional mode. 

“Good evening Dr. Katz,” Hannibal says. “You look lovely.”

“Why thank you,” Beverly says, visibly relaxing a fraction. Will remembers how much Beverly looks up to him. 

Before he can try to facilitate more conversation between them they are interrupted by Beverly’s date urgently calling her away. She tosses Will a wink as she leaves that has him smiling despite himself. Soon after they are back to the endless parade of people wanting to talk to them. Will can tell they leave a trail of gawkers and gossipers in their wake which only seems to attract more attention, making more people wanting to talk to them like a snowball effect. Now they barely make it a few steps before they are stopped again. Will’s drink has been gone for about ten minutes now and he'd really like another one if this is going to continue. 

At that moment his cell phone buzzes and despite it being somewhat rude to do so, he checks it. It’s a text from Margot. 

_ Blink twice if you need an escape plan. Three o’clock by the tree. _

Automatically he turns and sees Margot and Dr. Bloom watching them with amused expressions, arm in arm. Will doesn't even consult Hannibal before he clearly blinks twice and is immensely relieved when he sees the women make their way over. He can’t help that his hackles rise a little with Dr. Bloom being one of Hannibal’s former lovers, but it's still better than this nonsense. He sees the moment Hannibal notices them approaching.

“Excuse me, I’m sorry to interrupt. Dr. Graham and Dr. Lecter, we need you,” Margot says in her polite but firm administrative tone, her vanilla scent coming with her. Will is impressed, for an Omega she has an authority about her that no one in the group questions.

“If you'll excuse us,” Hannibal says politely and Will nods in acknowledgement as the follow the women towards the towering Christmas tree in the center of the room.

As soon as they are far enough away Will catches Margot on the arm, stopping them. “Good god thank you, you're a lifesaver,” Will says and Margot laughs.

“You’re welcome, you two looked like you needed saving.”

“We did, thank you,” Hannibal says quietly. 

Margot grabs two drinks from a nearby table and hands one to each man before raising her own. “I believe congratulations are in order? Or was I deceived by the rumor mill?”

“What is the rumor mill saying?” Hannibal asks, smiling as though he already knows.

“That the esteemed chief of surgery, Alpha male Dr. Hannibal Lecter, is dating his also Alpha male resident,” Dr. Bloom answers, before continuing, “Good evening Hannibal, Dr. Graham,” she says, shooting an amused glance at Hannibal which has Will consciously tamping down his Alpha posturing. He can smell her sharp citrus Alpha scent and he can’t help it puts him a little on edge, feeling the need to defend Hannibal from her even though she is clearly here with Margot.

“Well it's true,” Hannibal says, taking Will’s arm. The fight leaves Will and his heart melts a little, feeling Hannibal’s arm linked in his own. It’s a somewhat submissive gesture, the display clearly showing who Hannibal is here with which soothes his Alpha ego.

“Well then I say we toast!” Margot says.

Will halts her motion, saying, “Wait, I believe congratulations are in order for you two as well?”

In response Margot blushes and says, “Yes I suppose they are,” looking at Dr. Bloom fondly.

“Congratulations all around,” Dr. Bloom says to which they all clink glasses and drink. Already Will feels better, hoping they can stay hiding out for a bit longer.

“So what did you get in your gift?” Margot asks.

“What gift?” Will asks.

“Everyone has to get a gift from under the tree, you exchange your invitation for it. There's some really good stuff mixed in there! Most are gift cards but I heard Liz form Imaging got a seven day trip to Spain!”

“What the fuck?” Will says, forgetting for a moment that he probably shouldn’t swear here. Dr. Bloom frowns at him but he ignores her, instead asking Hannibal, “How can the hospital afford that? I can't imagine Crawford approving it.”

Hannibal laughs, apparently not bothered by his lack of social grace. “No, they are usually donations which thankfully are passed down with equal opportunity to all of the staff.” 

“Yeah, go get yours!” Margot says, physically pushing Will towards the tree, which makes Will suspect that this is not her first drink. He in turn tugs Hannibal with him, seeing Dr. Bloom follow, staying close to Margot’s side.

The women stand off to the side while Hannibal and Will exchange their invitations so they are allowed inside the fenced area to pick a gift from under the large tree. Will is amused to see that Hannibal takes the endeavor seriously, lifting a few and shaking them, before finally choosing a square red one with gold ribbon. Will walks around to the back of the tree and picks a small rectangular green one with a silver ribbon. Margot and Dr. Bloom rejoin them once they’ve exited the area, and Margot says excitedly, “Oh come on, open them!”

They stand near a presently unoccupied table to set their drinks on as they open the gifts. As Will tears the paper he asks, “What did you two get?”

“I got a $100 Amazon gift card,” Dr. Bloom says. 

“Not bad,” Hannibal comments. “And you Margot?”

“I got $100 Visa gift card.”

“Not bad either,” Will replies. 

Hannibal gets his gift open first and reveals it to be two movie ticket vouchers along with a $50 gift card that can be used at a few different restaurants. 

“Mm dinner and a movie, I wonder who the second ticket will be for,” Dr. Bloom says, smirking innocently.

“Mm yes I wonder,” Margot says with a smile, playing along. 

“Haha. You two are hilarious,” Will says sarcastically, trying to get his fingers under the slim silver ribbon. The alcohol in his system is not helping his dexterity but after a moment of fiddling with it he finally gets it. He tears off the paper and nearly drops the box when he opens it. Immediately he turns to look at Hannibal in shock. Inside are two vouchers for a seven day trip to Italy!

“Holy shit!” Will says, again earning a glare from Dr. Bloom at his profanity.

“What is it?” Margot asks excitedly, trying to peer over his shoulder.

“It’s two tickets for a seven day trip to Italy!”

“Oh my god!” Margot squeals. 

“And I wonder who will get the second ticket,” Dr. Bloom says again, sarcastic but with less bite than before. 

Will feels like he’s on cloud nine. He’s suddenly so happy hopeful for the future. He turns to Hannibal and asks, “Do you want to go to Italy with me?”

“I’d love to,” Hannibal answers. In his excitement Will can’t help it he grabs the back of his neck and kisses him. It’s brief, professional, but he sighs in happiness as their lips touch. He pulls back quickly, seeing Hannibal blushing but smiling fondly at him.

“Aw why do they get to go to Italy?” Margot says, pouting. 

“We can go too you know...” Dr. Bloom says, running her finger over Margot’s inner arm before sliding their hands together. “We can go anywhere, babe. I’d take you anywhere.”

“Aww,” Margot lunges forward, surprising Dr. Bloom with a kiss. As Margot pulls back the sweet smile Dr. Bloom gives Margot is tender, and Will can see her tough exterior melting a little, thinking maybe she's not so bad, especially if she makes Margot so happy. Overall it’s not as awkward as he thought it would be to be around both his ex and Hannibal’s ex.

At that moment Jack Crawford’s booming voice can be heard over the PA, “Everyone please find your seats, dinner will be served shortly.”

“Well I guess we should go,” Hannibal says.

“See you,” Will says to the women.

“See you,” Margot says, taking Dr. Bloom’s arm.

Will follows Hannibal since he seems to know where he's going. As they walk he can feel the stares of many, generating excited discussion in their wake; whether it be scandalized or surprised in nature, gossip abounds, however Hannibal seems oblivious to it.

In retrospect Will supposes he shouldn’t be surprised when Hannibal leads them to a table right in the front of the room, sitting with Jack Crawford and his wife, Gideon and his date, and a few others he thinks are hospital board members. It makes sense, of course the Chief of Surgery sits with the hospital bigwigs. And as the Chief of Surgery’s date, Will gets to sit here too, despite how out of place as he feels. As he pulls out his chair he realizes it’s quite a way to flaunt their relationship - these are very powerful people they are sitting with. He supposes Hannibal doesn’t do things by half measures, because after this for sure everyone will know they are together.

The second they reach the table Gideon looks like he's going to have a stroke, his eyes bulging wide and his motions freezing. He looks like he is just about to speak when Crawford says, “Ah Dr. Lecter, good evening. And Dr. Graham, I’m glad you could join us.”

Will nods and takes his seat, trying to discreetly keep an eye on Gideon. A brief glance at Hannibal shows he looks a little smug and in short order Will thinks he knows what’s going on. He tries to suppress a smirk at the success of Hannibal’s plan, but is also slightly worried. However he supposes that he chose to trust Hannibal; he told him he wants him, consequences and all. And this table is the consequences, so he mentally buckles in as he sits down.

Gideon looks like he's about to speak again when Hannibal says, “Mrs. Crawford, it's a pleasure to see you.”

“Likewise doctor, and who is your date? (cough) I don't believe I’ve met him.” 

“This is Dr. Will Graham, my boyfriend. And you may have heard he also happens to be my resident - it’s how we met. Will this is Bella Crawford,” Hannibal says, and then continues on introducing the rest of the table, with Will feeling like their names go in one ear and out the other, “and of course you know Dr. Gideon quite well,” Hannibal finishes.

“Yes I do. It’s nice to meet you all,” Will says. Many at the table look surprised like they don't know what to say. After an awkward pause eventually Gidieon says, “Dr. Lecter...I hate to be the one to bring this up because surely you are aware, but it is against hospital policy to be dating someone over whom you have an authoritative position.” Will inwardly bristles as everyone turns to look at Hannibal, who looks surprisingly calm and unruffled.

“You are correct Dr. Gideon. Dr. Crawford and I have already discussed the particulars of the situation and have a policy-friendly workaround in place. But thank you for your loyalty to the hospital’s policies. You can relax, I assure you they are not under attack.” The table laughs good naturedly, amused at Hannibal's charm and Will is surprised - _ surely it can’t be this easy? _ Will can’t help looking to Crawford but he seems mostly at ease.

“Dr. Crawford?” Gideon asks, disbelief coloring his tone.

“Yes Dr. Gideon, I assure you it has been addressed.” This earns more chuckles from around the table, likely amused at why Gideon is so hung up on this, making him look like a fool. To Will it looks like Gideon might soon have steam coming out of his ears. He looks like he’s about to say something when the waiters arrive and start placing plates of dinner down and topping off drinks.

Bella coughs again which prompts Hannibal to ask, “You’re not ill are you Mrs. Crawford?”

“Call me Bella please, and no I had a cold a few weeks ago and I’m better but I still have this nagging cough. You'd think with a doctor for a husband I’d be cured by now,” she says, giving her husband a pointed look.

“Ah yes, sadly we can perform complex heart transplants, yet the common cold defeats all of us,” Hannibal says. The tables laughs and Will breathes out a sigh of relief. Maybe it really is this easy.

*

Conversation naturally quiets as peoples’ mouths are used for eating, with some side conversation happening here and there. Hannibal is pleased with himself - so far so good. And the icing on the cake is Gideon’s reaction - he can't deny it was nearly everything he hoped for. No one messes with him and gets away with it. Hannibal prides himself on not having many faults, but he knows his pride is a weakness. He loves having the last word. 

But what he loves even more than having the last word is the man next to him. He can't say he was necessarily worried for how Will would handle them going public, but he was curious. And so far Will is navigating everything smoothly. As he looks at the younger doctor sitting next to him he realizes he feels proud that he is his date - it takes him a second to identify the feeling, as it is novel to him. It’s almost as if he can feel his love for this man growing by the minute, already looking forward to spending more time with him - the movies, the trip! Everything. He wants everything with him. 

As he has the thought, he starts to feel a little hot under the collar so he adjusts his collar, trying to calm himself. He must have gotten too excited for a moment. It’s not the first time Will has affected him so and surely won’t be the last. However, after a few minutes he continues to feel flushed. In that moment his gaze meets the younger Alpha’s beside him, gifting him with a smile that is somehow both joyously happy and darkly sexy. Hannibal swallows, feeling himself start to harden in his pants and feel even hotter, as if the thermostat has been turned up to the max. _ What is happening? This is getting out of control! _ He normally doesn’t fall apart like this just over a stray thought and a look. He’s about to consider taking off his jacket when he suddenly recognizes the feeling. _ Noo...no no no… _

Hannibal fumbles, trying to get his phone out of his pocket. Once he has it he holds it in his lap to try to be polite even as his mind screams that fate must be playing a cruel trick on him. Yet there it is on his calendar, plain as day. His rut is due tomorrow, and of course biology is never so exact. How could he have forgotten? He’s _ never _ forgotten before! But he supposes he's never been overworked to near exhaustion _ and _been in love at the same time so maybe that has something to do with it…?

Deciding to borrow from Will’s brilliant handling of his own situation, Hannibal gets his attention with a hand on his thigh. His plan backfires slightly as feeling the younger doctor’s hot firm muscle under the fabric of his suit pants makes his arousal ache, so he reluctantly removes his hand and Will his phone. 

*

Will’s silverware clatters somewhat loudly to his plate, dropping them in surprise when he reads the words. His heart starts to beat faster, mind working a mile a minute as to what this means, what opportunities it presents. Automatically various scenarios swirl through his mind - them fucking in the bathroom here, desperate and unable to wait...or in Hannibal’s car like before...or they could go somewhere? A hotel? His tiny apartment? Hannibal’s house? He is shaken out of his increasingly vivid fantasies by Hannibal nudging him, eyes darting to the door. _ Ah yes, step one, leave. _

Hannibal stands and says to the table, “I’m sorry, I’m not feeling well, if you’ll excuse us.” Will as to admit he certainly looks the part - he looks feverish, flushed, sweaty, and uncomfortable. Will knows that feeling all too well and is sure nearly everyone at the table recognizes what they are seeing too - after all most of them are doctors. Which means most of them are probably realizing that Will is leaving with him...and what they’re likely going to be doing. _ Well, the rumor mill is going to get more fodder, _ Will thinks wryly. He is strangely reminded of the time when he was a teenager buying condoms at the drugstore with his girlfriend - that feeling of being on display, essentially saying _ yes, this is the person I’ll be having sex with soon… _however right now he feels no embarrassment, only exposure.

“Certainly Dr. Lecter,” Crawford says. 

Will takes that as permission to leave so he stands too, saying, “It was nice to meet you all, have a good evening,” and follows Hannibal’s discreet path towards the exit, already thinking through what comes next. He really hopes he can experience Hannibal’s rut with him. It’s unusual for an Alpha, but he’s secretly always wanted to be knotted. However he truthfully thought it would never happen because most of the Alphas he's met have always rubbed him the wrong way before he'd ever consider them a romantic partner. But now...now he’s in love with a gorgeous Alpha and the thought of what might be in store for him makes his body tingle with anticipation. He remembers how much ached for Hannibal during his rut and they weren't even together yet. In that moment he knows he wants to be with Hannibal through his rut - whatever he needs.. 

Once they are far enough outside the event to be away from any other people Hannibal stops and shoves Will into the wall hard with his Alpha strength. All at once Will experiences the older doctor’s strong body pressed firmly against his, his face just millimeters away from his own, his body radiating heat, and his spicy clove scent intensifying.

“Will…” Hannibal nearly growls.

“God, yes Hannibal...what can I do? I want to help, I want to be with you...if you want that too.” 

Hannibal snarls before he crashes their mouths together in a feral kiss. Will whimpers, his knees going a little weak, glad Hannibal has pressed him so tightly to the wall so that he doesn't fall.

“Are you sure? This isn't exactly how I pictured our first time…”

“Since when has anything gone as we’ve planned it Hannibal?” Will says wryly into the shared space between them, “Let’s take this opportunity we’re given.”

Hannibal pauses a moment before apparently coming to a decision, easing back off of Will. They're both panting and with visible erections through their tuxedo. Will sees Hannibal reach for something and for just a millisecond he shivers as he imagines the older doctor spinning him around and fucking him right here against the wall in the public hallway of the hospital. However a moment later Hannibal is tossing his keys at Will who barely catches them in time, looking down at them in confusion.

“You asked what you can do to help?” Hannibal says with a smirk. Will swallows, nodding. The older Alpha boxes him in again against the wall, nosing along his jaw, behind his ear, saying “You can drive us to my home.”

“Mm yes,” Will says, trying and failing to not grind his erection against the man in front of him. He’s not even the one in rut but he’s so turned on already at the direction the evening is heading. A sound nearby has them jumping apart but whatever it is never makes it to their hallway.

Taking it as a sign to go, Will grabs Hannibal’s hand, thrilled that he can, winks and says, “Let’s go.”

As they walk to the car, Will purposefully keeps his eyes forward. Just knowing the state Hannibal is in is making him even more aroused by proxy. Once they’re on their way, Will feels surreal driving the Bentley. For a bit wonders if it’s really necessary since Hannibal seems more or less normal, except for the flush, a sheen of sweat, and a growing erection. However during the second half of the drive Will concedes it was probably for the best.

When he glances over, Hannibal’s eyes are half shut and unfocused, and he’s whimpering, occasionally dragging the heel of his hand across his prominent erection through his suit pants, saying “Will...nnn....” It’s incredibly hot and distracting, made worse by Hannibal’s scent concentrating in the enclosed space of the car. However Will does his best to focus on getting them to Hannibal’s home as soon as possible in one piece. He’s incredibly glad he put Hannibal’s address in his phone before they left the hospital because the older doctor’s ability to tell him directions dramatically deteriorated in the past few minutes.

Finally Will turns onto the street and takes a breath when he does because _ holy fuck _ these are nice homes! _ Like really nice. And huge. Hannibal lives here? Alone? _ Will parks in the driveway, not inclined to figure out the garage situation when Hannibal is just radiating sexual energy beside him.

When they exit the car Will hands off the keys, pointedly avoiding any skin contact. If Hannibal is anything like him, his skin feels super sensitive when he's in his rut, and in addition he's not totally convinced of his own self control in the moment. Maybe his body can detect Hannibal's Alpha rut hormones, he's not sure, but he feels antsy, on edge, and aroused beyond belief, already achingly hard in his pants. 

Hannibal gets the front door open and the second they’re inside Will finds himself roughly shoved up against the back of the door, feeling it click shut under the force of his weight. A second later Hannibal is on him and he whimpers at how good it feels, how right it feels to have the older man’s body pressed against him so intimately, to be wanted to badly.

The older Alpha inhales at his neck before his lips find his in the dark and Will can’t stop the keening sound he's making. He’d be embarrassed (he’s not the one in rut after all) but Hannibal is moaning as well in between their heated kisses. Hannibal’s large hands roam all over his body, possessive, as if he owns Will, clawing at his ass, grinding their clothed erections against one another. It’s a delicious friction that has Will seeing stars behind his closed eyelids. He feels like he can’t get close enough to this man, but then remembers...he very likely is going to be _ much closer _ to him soon. As close as two people can be. He hopes very soon he’s going to have Hannibal inside of him - his first knot.

*

The car ride back is an exercise in control for Hannibal. The car is filled with Will’s lily of the valley scent, concentrating with the windows up, and between that and his rut hormones coursing through his veins Hannibal feels drunk with ache, with passion. It takes all his willpower (haha, Will-power) to refrain from touching Will. He finds it’s surprisingly pleasant to watch Will drive his car, but he mentally concedes it’s pleasant to watch Will do pretty much anything. 

Hannibal shifts in the seat frequently, trying to ease the ache in his pants, knowing they're almost there, knowing soon he can be with Will, fuck him, come inside him...he groans and opens his eyes (_ when did he close them? _) and realizes he’s been palming his erection. He retracts his hand, mildly embarrassed at his loss of control but unable to feel much shame in his current state, especially when a glance at Will shows his own suit pants to be tented.

It feels like an age passes before they are finally pulling up to Hannibal’s home and he’s nearly bursting at the seams, barely able to think of anything except following his biological urge to mate, to fuck. And he has never in his life looked forward to a rut more than he does now. 

He automatically unlocks the door and the second they are inside he drops most of his restraint, needing to let off some steam if they are going to make it up to his bedroom. This is not at all how he envisioned his first time with Will, and oh has he envisioned it. He wanted their first time to be meaningful, tender, loving. And right now with how he feels he’s not sure he’ll be able to manage anything but rough, hot, and savage. But with any luck this will not be their only time, and thank god Will is on board. In fact he seems nearly as desperate as Hannibal himself.

He shoves Will roughly against the door, his restraint finally breaking, and sucks in a breath at his neck, drinking in his scent, groaning - he can’t recall ever wanting anyone as much as the younger Alpha before him. He kisses him, hard and deep, no preamble and growls again when he feels Will yield to him, open to him, forcing his tongue into his mouth to taste him. He can’t help how his hands come to the younger doctor’s hips and grabs two fistfuls of his ass, pulling their groins flush, their hard erections sliding against one another between layers of clothing. It’s entirely pleasant and not nearly enough, almost a cruel tease and he growls again, needing more NOW. 

He’s halfway to reaching to undress the beautiful man before him when his rational mind reminds him - _ bedroom. Get to bedroom. If you do knot him you don't want to be laying on the cold tile floor of the entryway for half an hour. Also lube. Yes lube is in the bedside drawer. And as Will is an Alpha he will need it. _The thought makes him wonder if Will has been knotted before. He growls at the thought, wanting the answer to be no. He feels incredibly possessive of him, wants no other person to ever have Will this way. The curiosity is too strong to resist (and also serves to distract him enough to pull away), asking, “You’re sure about this?”

“Yes I'm god damn sure Hannibal, I want it all with you, everything…” Will answer breathily, panting in the small space between them, his lips glistening with saliva from their kisses in the small amount of light.

“Have you taken a knot before?” Hannibal whispers at his ear. In response the confident Alpha before him wilts slightly, averting his eyes. A stronger flush rises to his cheeks in the dim light before he looks back at him and says, “No, I haven't...but I want to...god I want yours Hannibal...”

Hannibal growls and has to close his eyes briefly, the images in his mind too powerful and intense. He’s a hair's breadth away from taking Will right here - they really need to get upstairs _ now _. Goal in mind, he grabs Will’s wrist and pulls him toward the stairs before he loses his tenuous grip on his control, feeling his rut getting stronger. Will goes easily, stumbling a few times behind him in the dark.

When they finally make it to Hannibal’s bedroom, he yanks Will into the room and shoves him on the bed, instantly beginning to undress - his clothes feeling scratchy and oversensitive on his skin. He approaches the bed purposefully, watching Will intently in the half-light from the window.

*

Will barely has time to orient himself to the new space in the dark before he sees Hannibal stalking towards him with a hungry look in his eyes. Will almost feels like prey being stalked by a predator, but in this moment he is anything but afraid.

He watches as Hannibal shrugs his jacket off, it landing on the floor, followed soon by his tie and shirt. It surprises Will as he has never witnessed the older doctor being so careless. This is different Hannibal before him, a wild Hannibal that he is excited to get to know. 

Will kicks off his shoes just as Hannibal reaches the bed. He feels spell bound, watching rapt as the older Alpha climbs on top of him and roughly tugs his suit jacket halfway down his arms in one go. Getting the idea, Will kicks into action, taking over the removal of his clothes on the upper half of his body. And just like how they work seamlessly together in the hospital, they coordinate unspokenly until both of them are undressed. 

Once they are both naked Will is manhandled further onto the huge plush bed and Hannibal’s warm heavy body covers his own, their mouths finding one another again. Their kisses are open mouthed and wet, lips sliding, tongues twining, and teeth scraping one another almost savagely. Both of them are intermittently grunting and groaning in the kiss as their bodies find a rhythm, their erect cocks sliding against their increasingly sweaty skin between their bodies making their scents mix pleasantly together. By now both of their knots are swollen, creating a different sort of pleasure between them that Will has never felt before but instantly loves.

“Oh god Hannibal…”

“Mm Will…”

*

“Lay back,” Hannibal says breathlessly, knowing they need to hurry this along, he feels more desperate with every minute that passes, instinct telling him to hold Will down with his teeth and fuck him senseless, but his mind is still with him enough to know that if this is Will’s first knot he needs to be prepared.

*

Will lays back, knowing what comes next, he is a doctor after all. With a surprising lack of shame or embarrassment he raises and spreads his legs, exposing himself. He’s so incredibly turned on that he can’t care about much else other than doing whatever it takes to get Hannibal inside of him as soon as possible.

Will sees Hannibal get lube from his nightstand and squirts some onto his fingers. Wasting no time, he then settles between his legs and instantly reaches down, finds his hole and slips his finger halfway in. They both moan loudly, and Will wants more, needs more.

“Hannibal, you don’t have to be gentle with me, just get it done so you can fuck me…please...” Will says desperately. He’s never been so direct with a partner but right now he doesn’t want gentle, and even if he did he knows Hannibal is in no state to give it. 

*

Hannibal groans at Will’s words, unable to answer but nods as he pushes his finger all the way in, twisting it on the way out to distribute the lube evenly. He presses in two fingers the next time - it’s incredibly tight but he persistently works them in and out, alternating with scissoring his fingers and twisting them, periodically adding more lube. 

He frequently checks Will’s face for any signs of discomfort but he doesn’t see any - in fact he looks quite the opposite. Will’s back is arched, skin glistening with sweat, cock swollen and leaking precome onto his abdomen, and his knot swollen at the base of his cock. On his next pass Hannibal presses in a third finger, seeing Will’s eyes flutter open, finding his in the dark.

“Oh god Hannibal please-” 

That undoes Hannibal - he shuts his eyes against the flood of arousal, tamping down his instinct to lift up Will’s leg and fuck him hard. Instead he lubes his cock, and manages to tell Will, “Turn around.” He knows from experience it will be more comfortable for them both this way after.

Will turns around as requested, holding onto the headboard, commanding the area like the Alpha that he is. He spreads his legs and looks over his shoulder at Hannibal, smirking coyly but his rapid breathing and flush gives away just how affected he actually is. His slick hole glistens in the small amount of light spilling in from the window and that is the final salacious straw that breaks Hannibal’s resolve.

Hannibal growls, feeling his rut cloud his vision, making it hard to think of anything other than fucking this beautiful man before him. He finds it in him to smile back as he gets into position, loving the playful easy feeling between them. Hannibal has often found that the first time being with someone intimately is littered with negotiation, misunderstanding, explanation, and nervousness, yet he detects none of that from Will. He’s not opposed to the _ getting to know yous _ of sex by any means, but the tentative nature, the fear of misstepping is completely absent here. He feels free, no need to try to be anyone other than himself.

He gets into position, unable to help running his palms first down Will’s back and then to his ass, holding his cheeks open as he slides his lubed cock vertically against Will’s slick hole, mouthing at his back, teasing them both, it’s delicious. 

They both moan, Will’s back arching, pressing his ass further back and Hannibal can no longer resist. He presses his cock down with his thumb against the loosened ring of muscle and slides in about a third of the way before forcing himself to stop. As much as he wants to pound in like there’s no tomorrow he doesn't want to hurt Will.

“More,” Will says as if he’s reading his mind, so Hannibal pulls back and thrusts in deeper, moaning. He repeats the process a few more times until he’s in all the way and his knot is pressed against the outside of Will’s hole. _ Oh god it feels so good, so warm, so tight. _ He pulls out and thrusts back in making both of them moan loudly. In short order Will begins rocking back to meet him on every thrust so Hannibal wastes no time beginning a punishing rhythm. He loses himself over to the rut, his mind racing. Thinking nothing but _ more more more yes Will good fuck more deeper harder... _

He can hear Will’s moans, “Oh god Hannibal yes fuck, more more-” an echo of his mind. Hannibal feels nearly out of control, gripping Will’s hips roughly and savagely dragging him backward onto his cock, feeling the top of his knot hitting Will’s entrance on every thrust, tantalizing teasing of what is soon to come.

His rough treatment of the younger Alpha dislodges Will’s hands from the headboard, leaving him flailing for a moment. Hannibal pulls Will to him around his midsection, making Will more vertical. It only takes a moment for him to grip under and around Will’s shoulders, pulling him down onto his cock as he thrusts up. Apparently the new angle is good for Will too because he suddenly gets much more vocal, a constant litany of “Oh god Hannibal yes yes yes fuck oh god more more harder-” It’s music to Hannibal’s ears and he holds onto Will tighter, slamming him down almost violently which only serves to make them both moan louder.

He buries his face in the crook of Will’s neck, breathing in his floral scent from the source, lost in the pleasure, the instinct. He doesn't even realize he's been scraping his teeth on Will’s neck where a mating bite would go, as lost as he is, until Will’s voice breaks through his haze of pleasure.

“Do it Hannibal, please!” 

It takes a second for the words to penetrate through the haze of arousal, and to Hannibal it’s not clear if Will means biting him or knotting him, but hes passed the point of no return. Right now his brain only knows what he wants, what he needs, and that his partner wants the same. He can feel the pleasure building, nearly overwhelming him and he surrenders to it, teeth locking onto the flesh of Will’s neck, instinctively holding him in place as he thrusts hard one more time, forcing his knot inside of Will as he comes.

*

Will feels like hes drowning in pleasure, he’s never had sex like this before and hopes there will be many more times after this that he will. He almost feels drunk, like the world is soft around the edges and everything he feels is magnified. He’s not sure if Hannibal's rut hormones are clouding his mind, but it’s all he can do to hold onto the bed frame as Hannibal pounds into him. His own cock is hard and leaking, bobbing in time with Hannibal’s hard thrusts, sending jolts of pleasure through him with every contact. Everything is so intense he is pretty sure if his cock gets any sort of significant attention he’s going to come like a rocket, his knot is already fully swollen at the base.

But beyond that he has a feeling of completeness, of rightness, Hannibal being inside of them, joined as close as two people can be. It’s enthralling, Hannibal’s warm clove smell all around him, his hands moving all over his body possessively. He is surprised to find he likes it, and is not bothered by it in the slightest. He knows Alphas are usually put off by such things but he’s always known he’s not a typical Alpha. He surrenders to the experience, living in the moment, basking in it.

He can feel Hannibal’s desire almost like a physical presence, can feel it in how he holds onto his hips in a grip that’s nearly painful and will likely leave bruises but he doesn't care, he wants them, wants to be marked by this man, belong to him in every way. He's never felt like this before and he now understands the phrase head over heels in love - he feels that way, as if he’s so in love it’s almost disorienting, like he can’t tell which way is up, his sense of direction solely tuned to the man he is in love with.

Will shuts his eyes to take in as much pleasure as he can and as time goes by he feels a sensation he’s never felt before. It takes his scattered mind a minute to identify what is different - it’s a pleasant pressure, and then it dawns on him, on every thrust Hannibal’s knot is bumping against the rim of his hole. When he realizes that tantalizing epiphany, his already constant moans become even more desperate.

“Oh god Hannibal yes fuck, more more-”

The next thing he knows he’s being yanked backwards, his center of gravity lost, but only for a moment as Hannibal’s seemingly superhuman Alpha strength holds him. Hannibal’s arms loop under his own and over his shoulder in a bruising grip, his warm hairy chest pressed to his back. In response Will moans loudly, more turned on than he thought he would be by the show of Alpha strength. Then a moment later the new angle of Hannibal pulling him down onto his cock has him seeing stars; it’s been a_ long _ time since hes had sex like this and he had forgotten until this very moment just how much he loves his prostate _ holy fucking hell _ he might be able to come just from this, he can already feel the anticipatory tingle behind his balls.

Gravity along with Hannibal’s strength has him feeling like he's being stretched even more on every thrust. And just when he thinks it can’t get any better, he feels Hannibal’s face pressed close to his neck, tingling everywhere his lips touch; it’s tender, sweet, and reverent in stark contrast to the rough fucking and makes him feel warm inside. 

A moment later he feels Hannibal's teeth scrape along his neck and he shivers, electric tingles erupting down his spine, curling deep within him. His mind automatically takes it a step further, imagining Hannibal biting him, fully claiming him as his own, for all to see. The thought causes him gasp and moan desperately, his mouth speaking before his mind has consciously decided to do so.

“Do it Hannibal, please.”

He wants the older Alpha to bite him, needs it, and a moment later he gets his wish and more. Hannibal bites on his neck _ hard _, the sting of it pulling Will out of his haze of pleasure for just a moment. However he can’t focus on it long because all of a sudden Hannibal has thrust hard, holding him in place with his arms and his teeth and Will feels something he’s never felt before. 

First he feels a jolt of pain that quickly gives way to pressure and then _ holy fuck _ a feeling of completion and fullness. It feels perfect, like coming home, and then as he goes deeper in Will is honestly surprised as he starts to climax, untouched. The pressure from within makes him want to double over but he can’t in Hannibal's strong grip and his teeth still in his neck. His body tenses as his release jets out of him. He blindly reaches down, gripping his knot, moaning incredibly loudly as wave after wave of pleasure courses through him. He feels as though the pleasure is magnified by the bite at his neck, the fullness in his ass and the pressure on his own knot, so much so it’s nearly overwhelming and disorienting, almost as if time has stopped and he is suspended in this timeless place of pleasure.

The next thing he knows Hannibal releases one arm and his hand joins Will’s own on his cock. The moment he touches him Will is lost again to climax, spilling over both of their hands as he feels a fullness within him he never has before. In that moment it dawns on him that Hannibal, as an Alpha like him, has a larger volume of come than the Betas he’s been with, especially during ruts. And right now it is all trapped inside him by Hannibal’s knot as the aftershocks of his orgasm work to milk Hannibal more, increasing the pressure against his prostate, creating a feedback loop of pleasure. In fact the feeling is so intense Will feels on the verge of passing out. 

Just as it is almost too much for his oversensitized body, the intensity recedes and he feels Hannibal’s teeth let go of his neck, followed by his warm tongue tenderly licking at the bite. It throbs a little but it’s a drop in the bucket compared to the bliss he feels. In fact he realizes his eyes are moist at the loving and gentle way Hannibal continues to kiss and lick at his neck. Like a mate would. It’s intimate.

It is then that Hannibal guides them to lay down, still connected, with the older Alpha spooning him as he alternates smelling him, licking him, and rubbing his own scent on Will. They are all instincts Will himself has experienced but he’s never been on the receiving end of them, and he has to say he likes it and is content to lie back and receive such loving actions.

They lie together for an indeterminate amount of time as Hannibal continues to bathe Will in attention, their breathing slowly returning to normal, not talking yet somehow not needing to. Will feels at peace, comfortable. The only thing he laments, just a little, is that he almost wishes they were Alpha and Omega - the idea of being true mates with a soul bond is incredibly appealing and he’s disappointed to realize it’s biologically impossible. 

He's never felt what he feels for Hannibal for anyone, and figures that if anyone were his soulmate, he is sure it would be Hannibal. The thought that it is impossible makes him sad, but he tries not to focus on it for now, simply enjoying just being with the older doctor in this way. Sometime later as he is half asleep, he is distantly aware of Hannibal slipping out of him, of gentle words and tender kisses, being gently moved this way and that, warmth, and then nothing as he comfortably slips back into slumber.

*

When Hannibal comes back to his senses after what was seriously the most spectacular orgasm he’s ever had in his life, he takes inventory of his situation. He’s curled around Will, still embedded deeply inside him. In the moonlight something dark catches his eye on Will’s neck. He props himself up to get a better look, feeling contrite when he sees lots of drying blood. _ Oh hell _ , he bit Will _ hard. _ He hopes he didn't hurt him. He’s typically a very considerate lover but his rut always intensifies everything. He leans as far as he can, trying to look at Will’s face and sees that he's asleep with a blissful smile on his face. Hannibal’s heart swells at the sight, allowing himself to relax a little. _ Well he doesn't look like he’s in pain _...in fact he looks as happy as Hannibal feels. 

“Will?”

“Mmm?” Will smiles and turns towards him a little more as he replies without opening his eyes. 

Hannibal feels tears prickle in his eyes at how strong his emotions are right now. Everything is so perfect he’s nearly overwhelmed with emotion. Hannibal smiles, kissing his neck on the non-injured portion and finds himself saying, “Nothing _ mylimasis _, rest.” 

Hannibal tucks his face back into the crook of Will’s neck, breathing his scent, enjoying being connected to him. For as many barriers as they have to overcome in their relationship so far, nothing can separate them right now. It's reassuring and he basks in it.

Eventually his knot deflates and he slips out. Reluctantly he gets up and gets a warm washcloth from the bathroom. He pauses when he catches sight of his reflection in the mirror - the lower half of his face is stained dark with Will’s blood, it’s a striking image. He reaches to turn on the tap but pauses, looking at himself more. He’s surprised that he likes it, likes how he looks with Will’s blood on his face. He looks like how he feels, savage and powerful, having just claimed his mate. He glances back to his bed and wonders what Will would think, seeing him like this. Seeing Will’s sleeping form makes him yearn to be close to him so he turns on the tap and wipes most of the blood off of his face before returning to bed.

Hannibal cleans them up as best he can before crawling back in and spooning Will again, figuring they might as well rest before his rut strikes again. As he reflects on the evening, it’s definitely not how he imagined their first time together, but he can't be upset, not right now when Will is in his arms, in his bed, with a tranquil smile on his face. Really nothing could be better than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥♥♥ Thank you so much to all who have read this far and who have given feedback, it brings me so much joy ♥♥♥
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
> If you like the story feel free to share it [here on tumblr](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com/post/189804255744/show-chapter-archive) or [here on twitter](https://twitter.com/madsteacup/status/1208625898213105664?s=20)
> 
> **End notes: **  
  
\- For much of this chapter I took inspiration from a really fancy corporate Christmas party I went to a few years ago when my husband worked at a private rehabilitation hospital. I assume John's Hopkins would have fancy well-funded parties too? 🤷🏻 
> 
> **Medical Terminology: **  

> 
> **\- Flu **\- short for influenza, seasonal viral respiratory infection that can lead to pneumonia and even death in elderly and other at-risk groups  
**\- Imaging** \- medical word that encompasses tests like MRIs, X-rays, and CTs  
**\- Medical records** \- department of hospital that stores medical paperwork and documents in case they are needed for reference later after a patient is discharged or there is an audit  
**\- Per diem **\- worker that has no set schedule and fills in as needed, because of this they are typically paid more to compensate for the inconsistent work


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> More Christmas smut and fluff - in that order 😉

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn’t get this out in December oops 😅 - the Christmas spirit lives on! 🎄
> 
> Also apparently I was in the mood to write domestic fluff lol - so uh, fluff ahoy! ☁️

When Will wakes the next morning he realizes multiple things at once. Firstly, he slept great - he feels refreshed and doesn’t recall waking up even once or any bad dreams. Secondly is that he is warm and comfortable in a darkened bedroom, sunlight barely visible around the edge of the curtains betraying that it is no longer night. A moment later everything comes rushing back and reality clicks into place. 

Hannibal is spooned behind him under the blanket, his strong arm draped loosely over his waist and Will can feel the puff of his breath at his nape. It’s intimate and Will loves it. He is honored to get to see another side of this man he has come to know and love. As he takes it all in he remembers last night vividly - how the normally reserved and controlled older doctor was wild and free, bestial, uninhibited, and undeniably Alpha - in short it was hot as fuck. And if Will had any lingering doubts about sex with an Alpha male they are laid to rest because that was honestly the best sex of his life, although he's sure that’s largely due to the specific Alpha male currently spooning him. Despite the events of last night being unexpected, he is so very happy with the result.

As he lays there he reflects on his first experience being knotted. It’s true it had hurt just for a second, a burning pressure, but after that it was pure bliss. He would do it again in a heartbeat. In fact just the thought of it has his morning wood twitching with interest. He must move a little because Hannibal shifts in his sleep, pressing closer to him, letting out a long breath against his back. Simultaneously Will becomes aware that he's not the only one with morning wood as Hannibal’s erection presses against his bare ass, which has his own cock throbbing in response. In his dreamy half-awake state he thinks nothing of pressing his ass back more firmly against Hannibal's cock, undulating his hips in a languidly slow grind, enjoying exploring this new intimate aspect of their relationship. 

Will can feel the moment Hannibal wakes up when he holds him tighter and pulls him back against his body. Wordlessly they continue to slowly grind against each other, no urgency to the motion, just enjoying each other. Will basks in the foreplay, the tease that they didn't get last night. He lets out a small gasp as Hannibal drops soft kisses first on his back and then his neck, gentling them around the bite on his neck which is a bit tender. The small fizzle of pain elicited by the gentle touch to the bite wakes him up a little more and he wonders aloud,

“Your rut is over?” All of a sudden he is surprised he didn't realize it sooner. His own rut almost always lasts at least 24 hours, typically more. 

As soon as he speaks the words Hannibal's lips instantly still halfway between his neck and his ear. His motions freeze for just a moment before he continues to nose up behind his ear, dropping kisses here and there as he says, sounding equally surprised, “It seems so…?”

“That's amazing,” Will says, breath hitching as the head of Hannibal's cock briefly catches on the rim of his tender hole before sliding off as they continue a slow grind against one another. “Mine usually lasts at least a full day,” he adds.

“Mm mine too… that is curious... but of course biology is never so exact,” Hannibal replies just as his cock catches on his rim again before sliding off and they both moan at the tease. Will feels Hannibal’s hand slowly sliding up from his waist over his chest, brushing over his nipple which causes him to gasp as Hannibal continues to speak, “I'm thankful though, it gives me the opportunity to make love to you with a clear mind…” At that moment the head of Hannibal’s cock finds his hole again but this time rather than letting it slide off, Hannibal gently shifts his hip and pushes, the tip of his cock just _ barely _ breaching Will, testing, causing Will to groan at the sensation. “Not that I didn't enjoy last night,” Hannibal says around a gasp of his own as his hand travels down Will’s side and over the smooth skin for his hip, gripping there.

Will doesn’t think too much, just doing what feels right as he instinctively presses his ass back more. As a result he is pleasantly surprised to feel Hannibal’s cock slide in a little deeper, as well as at the surprised exhale it extracts from his lover. It feels damp and slippery between his cheeks which he supposes it's either from the lube Hannibal used last night or Hannibal’s come, or both. That thought alone has him groaning at the dirtiness of it and pressing back more, relishing the sensitive glide of Hannibal’s hard cock into him. 

He feels pleasantly wicked as he is essentially impaling himself using the evidence of their previous joining to ease the way. He loves it, yet he also feels an embarrassing rush of blood to his cheeks, shamelessly chasing his pleasure this way. He finds he feels braver under the cover of darkness and because he’s facing away from the older doctor. He supposes it fits his dual nature; on the one hand he’s an Alpha that is used to being expected to take charge in the bedroom, but on the other he also craves the intimacy of allowing another to enter his body in this way. 

This experience is actually really emotional for him - the freedom to act how he wants without pretense and the unconditional acceptance Hannibal radiates. With other lovers he’s always felt a subtle judgement when he is on the receiving end of sex, like it’s unusual for an Alpha male to want such a thing, but he doesn’t get that feeling from Hannibal at all. He loves how they just get each other - their physical chemistry is just as strong as their mental and romantic chemistry. 

Bringing his focus out of his mind, he concentrates on his body as he continues to work his ass back, feeling Hannibal's cock slide into him further until their bodies are finally flush under the blanket, intimately connected once more. It’s a novel sensation as last night everything happened so fast and vigorously, while this feels completely different - tender, slow, and gentle. The more leisurely pace allows Will to notice all the small details, like what it feels like to squeeze his internal muscles around the hardness inside of him, how it elicits a gasp from the older man behind him. 

“Mm you're still open from last night,” Hannibal mumbles behind his ear as he gently pulls out and thrusts in again. As he does Hannibal’s hand slides down the front of his thigh and then back up, fingertips caressing the soft skin at the juncture of his leg and hip. It’s all quite soft and tender, the polar opposite of the pleasantly rough treatment he received last night but it’s perfect for this moment. Somehow the the darkness makes everything feel even more intimate, the only sounds in the room are their soft puffs of breath and grunts of pleasure as they leisurely move together. 

“Mmm... yeah I’m still slick from you,” Will agrees, breath hitching as Hannibal's hand slides into the vee of his hips, caressing his balls before finally gripping his cock and slowly stroking it. 

*

Hannibal shivers at Will’s words. It's true, he had perfunctorily cleaned them up last night, but Will is right, he is still quite slick with what is likely a combination of lube and his come. The realization has Hannibal groaning at the baseness of it, his inner Alpha pleased at internally marking the younger man in this way. He has bitten Will, scented him and filled him with his seed which he now forces back into him with every thrust - it’s infinitely satisfying. He moans as he has the thought, feeling possessive, and is overcome with the need to show Will how much he loves him - last night he couldn’t truly focus on Will’s pleasure and he plans to make up for that now. 

He continues to slowly stroke Will’s cock, enjoying the younger Alpha's hands roaming over his arms, the only place the younger man can reach in his position. Hannibal’s other hand sneaks under the younger doctor, holding Will’s shoulder down as he thrusts upward into him - not hard or fast yet - but a constant delicious slick slide that has them both panting. After a few minutes Will starts pushing back against him in earnest, hips thrusting into his grip with more force, chasing the feeling. Hannibal can feel it to, the delectable incremental build towards their mutual peak of pleasure. 

As a doctor Hannibal knows _ exactly _ where the prostate is, so he shifts up on the bed as far as he can while continuing to plunge into Will’s body. He tries to change the angle of his thrusts each time and is rewarded on the third attempt when Will gasps, arches his back, thrusts into his grip, and then slides back onto his cock. _ Bingo_. 

Hannibal keeps the pace measured but continues to aim for that area, kissing whatever flesh is in front of him in the moment - Will’s neck, back, shoulder - all while drinking in his moans and gasps of pleasure. His hand on Will’s cock glides easier with every second that passes as more and more precome leaks out. It makes sense with the prostate stimulation and Hannibal finds it’s incredibly satisfying - a measurable impact how his actions are affecting Will. In response his own arousal gets hitched up higher sympathetically, letting out moans of his own. 

“Nnn Hannibal yes… yes… it feels so good… oh god,” Will rasps out, body taut and pinging between his hand and his cock, the younger man’s arms grasping him wherever they can reach. It’s so beautiful to feel him come undone like this, it feels intimate, how freely Will is surrendering to his pleasure, here in Hannibal’s own bed, in the early morning where the world outside is still at rest. 

Hannibal increases the pace of both his thrusts and his hand. On every downward glide he can feel Will’s knot swelling at the base of his cock, can feel how it’s gradually being coated in the steady stream of precome dripping from the tip. His hand is completely wet and slick, sliding now with no friction whatsoever. And speaking of knots he can feel his own enlarging as well, and as much as he wants to knot Will he knows he didn’t stretch him so if he did it would probably hurt the younger Alpha.

As the pace increases Will is whimpering, his own hand joining Hannibal’s on his cock, guiding Hannibal’s hand to squeeze tighter which Hannibal acquiesces as Will’s litany of moans increases.

“Alpha!” Will gasps, surprising them both, enhancing Hannibal’s instinct to provide his partner with whatever they require. “Knot me Alpha...Hannibal…” Will keens. 

Hannibal gasps, drowsy and aroused mind already trying to think of a solution. He kisses Will’s neck, mindful of the bite, and groans as he pulls out and withdraws his hand, causing Will to whimper. He takes his hand coated with Will’s precome and spreads it as liberally as he can around his knot before sliding back in, both of them moaning at the intensity. 

“Anything for you Will, anything,” Hannibal whispers near his ear, kissing and mouthing at the skin there as he resumes a quick pace, fucking Will’s body with intent - aiming to give him the most pleasure he can. When he withdrew his hand, apparently Will took over stroking himself so Hannibal’s hands holds Will’s hip and shoulder for leverage as he pounds into him, his swollen knot stretching his hole slightly more on every thrust.

Hannibal can tell that they are close to the precipice so he thrusts twice more, holding Will firmly as he pushes hard on the third, forcing his knot inside of Will, surprising himself by calling out, “Alpha!” He feels Will’s tight hole contracting around him, simultaneously milking him and pulling him in deeper - it’s heavenly. Despite the bliss he blindly slides his hand from Will’s hip to his cock, squeezing the younger Alpha’s knot as he continues to stroke himself. 

“Yes, that’s it come for me beautiful,” Hannibal groans out in between the riotous pleasure coursing through him, filling Will once again with his seed.

“Nnn Hannibal!” Will cries as he climaxes. Warm seed spills on his hand as he continues to squeeze the younger Alpha’s knot in time with the contractions he feels around his own cock. It surprises Hannibal how intimate it feels compared to when he has done it for previous partners and he wonders if Will is feeling what he is feeling in this moment, if they could be that connected. 

*

Will is embarrassed the moment “Alpha!” slips from his mouth, but a moment later he can’t be bothered to care if it’s unusual because everything feels too damn good. It’s so wet between his legs with lube, sweat, and Hannibal’s come from last night that he can _ almost _believe he’s an Omega getting slick in preparation for a knot - the thought makes him shiver. 

Between the darkness and facing away from Hannibal, his other senses feel heightened - a different kind of intimacy brewing between them. The older Alpha’s scent is all around him, and his body is hot against his back and inside of him, his mouth wet against his ear, and his voice sleep rough and husky. The combination has him writhing with arousal and want, needing more, calling out “Knot me Alpha!” The words feel foreign on his tongue yet also undeniably right and he feels no shame asking for what he wants, what he needs. 

And when Hannibal knots him and calls him “Alpha!” in return Will loses it. Between the now familiar full feeling of completeness combined with Hannibal squeezing his knot, he is seeing stars. He barely notices the slight pain, feeling like they are one being in that moment, locked together in pleasure, in their own little private world. His seed spills hot over his hand and abdomen as he strokes himself through the aftershocks, all the while feeling the pressure of Hannibal pulsing with him. His body tingles with sensitivity from the inside out, goosebumps erupting over his skin.

Eventually the waxing and waning waves of intense pleasure subside, giving way to a comfortable satiety. Will removes his hand from his cock as he catches his breath. Craving closeness, he leans back as much as he can against Hannibal behind him, encountering the tickle of his chest hair against his back. The older Alpha’s skin is a little cooler from the sweat and he smiles as Hannibal’s arm encircles his abdomen, holding him close, lips affectionately brushing against his back. 

Still intimately locked together, once their breathing returns to normal Will breaks the silence, voicing his thoughts, “Mm this is nice.”

“Indeed,” Hannibal replies softly, nuzzling at his nape. Will basks in the wake of intimacy their joining created. He loves the tender way Hannibal holds him, kisses him, loves the gentle touches he bestows upon him. It’s much different than the hot whirlwind of passion last night, yet just as enjoyable, if not moreso. 

As he snuggles into the older doctor’s embrace Will is somewhat surprised at how comfortable he feels being in Hannibal’s bed. It’s not often he wakes up in a bed that’s not his own (let alone with the owner of said bed), but the few times it has occurred have often felt awkward with him wondering if he should leave as soon as he can. However he is pleased to find he feels as if he is exactly where he belongs at the moment and has no qualms settling in. In fact, any thoughts of leaving feel far off on the horizon, pushed out of the way for more important thoughts, primarily about how happy he feels. Has he ever felt this happy? This loved? He’s pretty sure he hasn’t. 

Will isn't sure how much time passes since he can’t see a clock, but eventually Hannibal’s knot deflates. As Hannibal slips out of him they both hiss at the loss. No longer confined to his position, Will rolls over, coming face to face with the older Alpha. The motion causes the bite on his neck to be pressed into the pillow which hurts a little, but not enough to alter his trajectory.

The sight he encounters reminds him of waking up with Hannibal in the hospital room, only a million times better. Even in the dim light of the morning he can see Hannibal’s gentle smile, soft hair falling over his face, and warm eyes gazing fondly at him. He looks so different than the polished man Will has come to know at work, yet somehow they are one and the same. Will is surprised to find that the intensity of his gaze makes him feel a little shy, causing him to avert his eyes out of reflex. A moment later Hannibal’s fingers brush through his hair, then down the side of his face, over his cheek. They then continue their path down along his jaw to his chin, and then finally tilt his face up, forcing their eyes to meet once more. 

“Good morning,” Hannibal says, his accent thicker than usual, a detail which Will instantly recalls from the previous time they woke up together. 

“Good morning,” he replies, a shy but genuine smile on his face. Following his instinct, Will rests his hand on Hannibal’s forearm between them. After a moment he trails his hand further down Hannibal’s arm until he reaches his hand which is still under his chin. Once their hands meet Will gently interlaces their fingers and brings their joined hands to his lips, softly kissing the back of his hand. As he does he watches the older doctor, pleased to see Hannibal immediately smile, his eyes positively sparkling with affection. 

*

Hannibal is surprised to find a blush rising to his cheeks when Will kisses his hand so softly and tenderly. He decides here and now that he would love to wake up to this every day. Not just for the sex, although that was incredible too, but for Will looking at him like he loves him. Hannibal knows he loves Will. The feeling is so strong he almost says it right now but stops himself, wondering - _ Is it too soon to say such a thing? _ He’s honestly not sure, he’s never felt like this about someone before. He knows Alphas are usually direct communicators, him and Will included, but somehow he suspects there may be different societal expectations in regards to saying “I love you.” In any case, he supposes there is no rush. He plans to do what he does whenever he encounters something he doesn’t know - research. But for the time being he is content to lay here with Will in his bed, absorbing every fascinating detail about him in the pale light of the morning, and enjoying his floral lily of the valley scent mixing with his own scent in his bed. 

*

Eventually nature calls, forcing them out of their cozy embrace. Will groans a bit as he gets out of bed, discovering that his neck is throbbing and his body is sore all over, feeling the ache reverberate with every step to the bathroom. As he washes his hands he looks at himself in the mirror and is surprised at what he sees. Instantly his doctor’s mind recognizes that his neck needs medical attention - there is crusted blood, a large purpling bruise, and the edges look pink and irritated. Now that he’s gotten a good look at it he’s surprised it doesn't hurt worse. 

He watches his reflection as he tentatively touches it, feeling a brief spike of pain followed by a shiver as he remembers the pleasure of receiving it. As he stands there, something catches his eye and he subsequently notices he has finger shaped bruises on his shoulders and hips, and despite his aching body, he smiles big. He always wanted to be with someone who wouldn't hold back and this is the proof he found that.

When he reenters the bedroom Hannibal is sitting on the edge of the bed waiting for him. He’s still nude and his body language is not timid in the slightest. He must have opened one layer of curtains because sunlight is now pouring in, yet there is still a layer maintaining their privacy. As he approaches, Hannibal’s eyes rake over him assessing. Will can feel his gaze like a physical touch, how it lingers on his neck, his shoulders, his hips - all the places he’s marked him, Will realizes. He goes to the older Alpha, stands between his legs and puts his arms around him, pleased when Hannibal’s automatically land on his waist.

“Should I say I'm sorry?” Hannibal asks, not sounding sorry at all, smiling as his thumb ghosts over a bruise on his hip. 

“No you shouldn't,” Will says, smiling down at him in return. At his response Hannibal’s hands slide upwards, lightly caressing the bruises on his shoulders. Shortly after one hand skirts the edge of the bite which causes Will shiver again and suck in a breath. 

“Does it hurt?” Hannibal asks, sounding more curious than concerned.

“It’s tender. I should probably treat it,” Will answers, smiling as he tilts his head to allow Hannibal a better look. 

“Mm my smart resident, my thoughts exactly,” Hannibal answers, looking pleased. Here he pauses and then asks, “Do you have anywhere you need to be soon?”

“No,” Will says, sincerely hoping he’s not being kicked out. He’s not ready for this to be over.

“How about a bath?”

“Sure,” Will says, smiling. Then, feeling bold, he adds, “As long as you’ll join me.”

Hannibal smiles at him, saying “That was my intention.” 

With a final caress, Hannibal gets up, kisses him briefly, and then makes his way to the bathroom. Shortly after Will hears the telltale sound of water filling a tub and realizes he’s honestly can’t recall the last time he’s taken a bath. Will saw the large claw foot tub in the bathroom earlier and he has to admit that right now soaking in warm water sounds lovely for his somewhat abused body. And for the mess between his legs. 

After a moment he follows Hannibal, walking gingerly due to the dull ache that has settled into various parts of his body. It reminds him of the day after you go back to the gym after you haven’t been for awhile - and he knows he got a workout last night for sure. Smiling at his wayward thoughts, he leans on the door frame to the bathroom and watches as Hannibal dribbles something into the water before turning it off. He then turns to look at Will and says, “It’s ready.” 

Will enters and follows Hannibal’s gesture of invitation, easing himself down into the hot, fragrant, and bubbly water - it’s heavenly. At first the water stings a little on his neck, but it quickly evolves into more of an awareness than pain. He lays his head back against the cool rim of the tub, enjoying the pleasant scent as the ache in his muscles is slowly eased by the heat. It really is luxurious. He makes a mental note to get a tub like this if he can ever afford one. He doubts that will happen in the next few decades thanks to his student loan debt but he inwardly shrugs, thinking _hey, a guy can dream right? _ In that moment Hannibal looks down at him, smiling fondly.

“You look comfortable,” he observes.

“I am,” Will says honestly.

“Are you sure you still want me in there with you? I can shower and make us breakfast,” Hannibal offers, but Will is having none of it. In lieu of answering he sits up and scoots forward, looking from Hannibal to the space behind him pointedly. In response Hannibal smiles, before saying “As you wish.”

As requested, the older doctor climbs in behind him and Will feels his legs come on either side of him. It’s not as tight of a fit as he worried it would be for two grown men - it really is a large tub. Once he's settled, Will feels his arm come around his midsection and gently pull him back, resting his head between Hannibal's shoulder and his chest. It’s already infinitely more comfortable than being in here alone.

He relishes feeling of Hannibal's firm body behind his and his strong arms around him. And he can’t help but let out a contented sigh as he feels the older Alpha nuzzling his hair and dropping kisses behind his ear. As he relaxes back into the embrace Will can feel Hannibal’s chest hair tickling his back and his semi-hard cock nestled his lower back. It's cozy and intimate and peaceful - so much so that Will almost feels like he could fall asleep. 

After an interlude of lazily soaking and cuddling, Hannibal pulls back, inspecting the bite mark. Will can feel him gently touch the edge asking softly, “May I?”

“Mm,” Will says as he nods and tilts his head to the side, giving Hannibal better access. His eyes fly open in surprise when he feels Hannibal start to very gently wash the area. The soap stings a little, but after it’s rinsed away he then proceeds to wash and massage Will’s back, shoulders, and neck. His motions are gentler around the bruises and again Will sighs in contentment, little moans escaping his mouth here and there. It feels so incredibly good on his aching muscles. If they hadn’t just had sex he would probably be incredibly turned on, even so his own cock is half had under the water. But as it is he just feels sated and happy at this caring intimacy between them. Once again he is struck at how normally others tending to him makes him uncomfortable, but with Hannibal he feels nothing but comfort. Eventually the older man stops his ministrations, giving Will a final rinse to remove the soap, and dropping one more kiss on his shoulder. 

“Mm thank you, that was wonderful… do you want me to do you?” Will asks. 

“Mm silly boy...” Hannibal says against his skin, “...another time perhaps. I’m sure you must be sore. Seeing how I’m the cause, it’s only right that I tend to you.” Will is secretly grateful for that response - while the bath and massage definitely helped, he still feels sore and achy. After a beat he adds, “As nice as this is, I think I’ll go make us some breakfast. Would you like to soak a little longer?”

Will smiles, looking back at him as best he can from his position as he says “If it's not rude.”

With a finger to his jaw, Hannibal turns his face more fully to the side and kisses him before saying, “No not at all, I insist. Doctor's orders. Come down when you're ready.” 

Will nods in acknowledgement and enjoys the view as Hannibal gets out, watching his wet sculpted body, feeling a flicker of desire stir in him but not enough to act, still sated from earlier. Hannibal wraps a towel around himself, leaves one for Will on the counter along with a bandage for his neck, kisses him and then disappears from sight. A moment later Will hears Hannibal descend the stairs and relaxes back into the warm soothing water.

*

As Hannibal makes breakfast he reflects on how nice it is having Will in his home. He normally detests house guests (on the rare occasion that he has one). Usually having someone in his home makes him feel the need to put on a front (and endure their guaranteed disrespect), but with Will he finds that not only does he not feel that way, but instead feels like his home is somehow now complete in a way he didn’t know it was lacking. It’s a novel feeling. He smiles to himself as he realizes it’s a feeling he thinks he could get used to. With a spring in his step he starts some coffee brewing and sets about making brioche French toast and spinach mushroom and cheese omelettes. Once things are sizzling away in their respective pans he gets out the prosciutto as well as some strawberries, already visualizing presentation options. _ Prosciutto roses? Strawberry roses? Both? _

*

Eventually the water cools and Will’s stomach starts to growl, so he gets out. With the towel around his waist, he stands in front of the mirror and carefully bandages his neck, realizing it already feels better after being cleaned. He then gets dressed in his pants and shirt from last night. He finds it a little odd being in someone else's master bedroom without them there - it feels intimate and overly familiar, and yet now that he is officially Hannibal’s boyfriend he guesses that's a privilege he’s earned. As he dresses he gets a better look at his surroundings and observes that the bedroom is elegant. Everything is simple but tasteful, the color palette mostly shades of blue and gray, with some wood and art accenting the space. In short it’s worlds away from his studio apartment with a linoleum floor and view of the kitchen from his bed. 

As he walks down the stairs, passing by walls adorned with fancy art and spaces screaming of elegance and opulence, Will starts to feel unsettled, intimidated at the discrepancy in wealth between him and Hannibal. When he arrives at the bottom he is even more blown away by the grand scale of the house. He didn't get a good look at the older doctor's home last night between the darkness and being...otherwise occupied. 

He follows the kitchen sounds coming from the left, and is unsurprised when he sees a lavish kitchen, even nicer than the other parts of the house, and his brain reminds him that Hannibal did say cooking was a passion of his. As he walks in he sees said man is wearing a different shirt than last night, has his sleeves rolled up, a few buttons undone, and is wearing slippers. That’s a sight he wouldn’t mind seeing every morning, Will thinks, smiling when their eyes meet.

“Ah Will! Perfect timing, have a seat.” Hannibal gestures at the nearby table so Will sits and is handed a cup of coffee, seeing Hannibal set his own on the table nearby. He takes a sip and nearly moans at how good it is - light years beyond the hospital cafeteria’s shitty coffee.

“Mm this is good thanks,” he says and the older doctor smiles in acknowledgement before returning to whatever he is doing. A moment later Will realizes Hannibal made his coffee exactly how he likes it - milk, two sugars, and not too hot to drink. “You remember how I take my coffee,” Will remarks, surprised. In response Hannibal smiles, a light blush on his cheeks as he turns back towards him saying,

“I remember a great many things about you, dear Will.” Shortly after he brings two plates of food along with utensils and sets one set in front of Will. It’s looks like French toast topped with strawberries and powdered sugar, a spinach and mushroom omelette, and… is that rose made of prosciutto?!? Will’s eyes go wide - it looks like a plate from a five star restaurant! It even has a garnish on it for fucks sake.

“You made this? Just now?” he asks, incredulous. He wasn’t in the bath that long was he?

“I told you I have a passion for cooking,” Hannibal says, looking pleased.

“Be careful, if you keep this up I might never leave your house,” Will replies, the words leaving his mouth before he has really thought them through. A moment later he is subsequently stricken with embarrassment at the implication. _ Way to thank your boyfriend for making you breakfast by threatening to never leave! _ Instinctively Will looks down, trying to figure out how to dig himself out of this hole of embarrassment when Hannibal touches his chin, raising his eyes. 

The older Alpha smiles at him, saying, “So it’s true then, the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. I thought it was anatomically impossible, but I’m always open to new evidence.” A brief laugh escapes Will at the words, thankful for Hannibal’s joke lightening the mood - he really does have good bedside manner. Or kitchenside manner in this case, he supposes. Will takes a few more bites, giving him time to compose himself, and then comments,

“This is delicious Hannibal, thank you.”

“You're very welcome.”

As they eat in companionable silence Will finds he still feels a little on edge, wondering if he really can fit into Hannibal’s world, but feeling the older doctor’s leg pressed against his own under the table calms him a little. 

Later on, after they have finished eating and have cleaned up, real life encroaches on their bubble of paradise, so they get fully dressed in preparation for Hannibal to drive Will back. When they’re ready, Hannibal goes back upstairs to get his keys, and while he does Will waits in the lavish entryway and notices a small tabletop Christmas tree. The sight makes him suddenly realize that he didn't get Hannibal a Christmas present and Christmas is only two days away! _ Fuck. _

He supposes in all the buildup to the Christmas party it didn’t occur to him, but he really wants to get him something. After all, what kind of boyfriend doesn't get their significant other something on Christmas? Instantly his mind begins churning, trying to think of a gift idea on his limited budget. However before he can get too far, Hannibal appears at his side, distracting him from his thoughts, but he makes a mental note to continue his brainstorming later. 

*

When Hannibal comes down the stairs, keys in hand, he sees Will gazing at his small Christmas tree. He knows his antler decorations are a bit atypical, some might even say morbid, but one way or the other Will doesn’t comment. As he watches the younger man, all of a sudden Hannibal is overcome with the urge to get him something for Christmas. But what? He puts a pin in that thought, deciding he’ll go shopping later today. However for now his mind is already thinking of ways to get Will back to his home - he’s surprised at how sad he is knowing Will is leaving, that this blissful interlude is over for the time being. But his ever intelligent mind is already working on ways to coax him back here - he hopes it won’t be too difficult.

*

They both end up working at the hospital on Christmas day. Will is not surprised at all that he is working, since nearly all the residents are. He is a little surprised (but happy) that Hannibal is working too. Most of the doctors took time off, but he supposes since it appears that Hannibal has no immediate family in the area maybe that's why he got stuck working despite his position. 

Thankfully for them both, Gideon is off so they get a reprieve from him for now. Most of the staff are per diems so they don't know him, but some of the few familiar faces that are working give Will random congratulations and winks, while others just stare at him. He’s sure gossip abounds but he pays it no mind. If anything it makes the rude nurses a little kinder to him, if only out of curiosity... and likely out of extension of Hannibal’s reputation. Will has never witnessed a nurse be rude to Hannibal. He however is not so lucky but wonders if maybe that will change now?

It ends up being a very busy day, and despite the fact that _ no one _ wants to be in the hospital on Christmas (patients or staff), somehow _ even more _ people than usual end up in the hospital at Christmas. Will speculates that the uptick in admissions may have to do with holiday overindulgence, but also notes that many of the admissions are related to depression, including a few suicide attempts. Those ones hit him hard, making him appreciate and reflect on all that he does have in his life. 

Last year on Christmas he was lonely. From what he can remember, he got take-out food and ate at it as he studied. As he recalls it wasn’t much different than any other day, other than that the loneliness was especially noticeable as he browsed social media, seeing everyone with their family. He knew he could have gone back home, but his father was visiting his aunt and they both knew he was in school. Neither party would say the words aloud but the cost of the flight (or the eighteen plus hours of driving) would not be worth it.

Will admits to himself that this Christmas might be no different in regards to his activities. He may end up getting take-out food and studying, but the marked difference from last year is that he no longer feels lonely. Thinking of Hannibal reminds him of the gift he got for said man which he has hidden in his work bag. He is planning to give to Hannibal before they leave for the day, as he assumes Hannibal has Christmas plans. After all, everyone and their mother has some place to be today. 

At the end of their workday Will starts to feel nervous. He doesn't even know why. After all he knows it's perfectly normal to get your boyfriend a Christmas gift, but if he's honest with himself the fear of their discrepancy in wealth and status is still haunting him, no matter how hard he tries to shake it off. However when Hannibal is finally back in the office, packing up to go, Will rallies his courage, saying, 

“Hey um before you go, I got you something…” Will takes the wrapped package out of his bag, trying not to think about how the wrapping paper was from the Dollar Tree down the street.

Hannibal's eyes light up and he abandons packing up his bag. Instead he walks over to Will, smiles, and kisses him. His large warm hands cradle Will’s face, seemingly uncaring that their office door is wide open for anyone to see. Will supposes they don't have to be as careful as before but he's still distracted by it. However despite the distraction, he kisses him back, relaxing slightly at the contact - the comfort provided by the familiar feel of Hannibal’s lips against his own and his warm clove scent. It feels like home. After a minute Hannibal pulls back, hands still gently holding Will’s face as he says, “How did I get so lucky?”

Will laughs self-depreciatingly, saying “Hey don’t get too excited,” as he steps back and hands it over, Hannibal's hands falling from his face to accept it.

However rather than open it Hannibal looks at it and then at Will, laughs a little and says, “Well it just so happens I got you something too.”

“You did?” Will asks, surprised, a flutter in his chest at the thought.

“Yes although I admit I was a bit presumptuous. Your gift is at my home under the tree. I was hoping you would join me tonight,” Hannibal says, taking Will’s hand and kissing it. 

Will is surprised again, asking, “You don’t have plans for Christmas?”

“No, I don’t. I'm not very close with the little family I have left. And it’s true that I do have many invitations to functions, but none are as tempting as being with you. Do you have somewhere to be?”

“Nah, my dad already knew I wasn't coming home for Christmas because of my residency, he's seeing my aunt.” 

“Well then I propose we spend our Christmas together. Come over around seven?”

Will smiles, thinking it looks like he won't be having take-out food tonight after all. 

“Sounds perfect.”

“I’ll save this for later then yes?” Hannibal asks, gesturing at the gift. Will nods, already looking forward to the evening. 

*

Hannibal is excited as he does some grocery shopping on the way home from work. He’s nearly overwhelmed with ideas and tries to rein himself in. It seems like his fantasy of getting to cook a proper meal for Will in his own home is finally going to come true. He doesn't count breakfast because he didn’t have time to plan ahead. No he wants to serve Will a proper meal, complete with wine. He selects a few bottles, and then on a whim he adds some Christmas decorations to his cart, including a sprig of mistletoe they have at the checkstand.

Once home, Hannibal takes a quick shower and gets dressed in a burgundy dress shirt and charcoal gray slacks. He sets the stereo to play Christmas music softly in the background and then gets to work. He starts by getting the wine mulling on the stove and then proceeds to prepare his Christmas feast - Cornish game hens with cranberry stuffing, duchess potatoes, and roasted acorn squash with pomegranate seeds. He would love to do a turkey but it’s impractical for just two people, and nearly impossible in such a short time window. When all the items are in the oven, he gets his bag of decorations and sets to work.

*

As Will walks home that day he thinks ahead to what the evening will be like. He remembers his mother's words that you should never show up empty handed, and seeing as how Hannibal took his still wrapped gift with him, he thinks maybe he should stop by the store and get a bottle of wine or something? He changes course for the grocery store, and yet when he enters the store he gets another idea. Around Christmas his mother would always make pecan pie. She only ever made it around Christmas so he always associates it with this time of year. It’s been years since he made one, but he’s in good spirits so he looks up a recipe on his phone and buys the short list of ingredients.

When he gets home he showers, gets dressed in a pine green plaid dress shirt and khaki pants, and then gets to work on the pie. It’s already a pretty easy recipe and he made it even easier by buying pre-made pie crust. He presses it into the disposable aluminum pie plate and then combines all the ingredients in a bowl. He pours the mixture in and then sets the oven to bake for forty minutes. Some time later the sweet nutty smell fills his small apartment and when he removes the pie he thinks it doesn’t look to bad at all.

Later, when Will arrives that evening, he sees Hannibal's house has been decorated since he was last in it. It has a cozy festive atmosphere that is classy yet authentic. He even hears Christmas music softly playing in the background and sees a crackling fire in the fireplace. It’s the epitome of Christmas.

“You decorated,” Will comments.

“Yes I did, consider it a recompense for the Christmas party I stole from you,” Hannibal says with a wink, causing Will to smile.

“To be honest I preferred what we did _ instead of the Christmas party_,” Will says with a blush. 

“And it appears you baked,” Hannibal says, eyeing the pie Will is holding. 

“Oh yeah, here,” Will says, handing it over.

“It looks lovely,” Hannibal says as he sets it on the far counter. A moment later he is back handing Will a steaming mug filled with dark red liquid and a cinnamon stick. Will automatically accepts it and can't immediately tell what it is. It smells familiar, holiday-like. It actually reminds him of Hannibal's scent and for that reason he is already inclined to like it.

“What is this?”

“Mulled wine, a family tradition. Wine with cinnamon, cloves, and other mulling spices.” 

Will takes a sip - it’s sweet and warm and everything about Christmas all in one beverage. And like everything Hannibal makes, it tastes delicious and he finds himself taking another sip before exclaiming, “Wow, it's really good.”

“Thank you. I'll just be a moment, I’m almost done.”

“Anything I can do to help?”

“No thank you, just relax.” Will tries to relax but he still can’t help that he feels a little out of place here. Soon after Hannibal serves them dinner, and they eat the fanciest Christmas dinner Will has ever had, consisting of Cornish game hens, some sort of fancy swirly potatoes, and squash with pomegranate seeds. Once again it looks like a dish out of a five-star restaurant or be on the cover of a cooking magazine. 

“You really didn't have to go to all this trouble,” Will says, once they have finished their meal.

“It was my pleasure Will. As I told you I love cooking, and I don't get to do it as often as I would like since it's usually just me. Really I should be thanking you. It’s an understatement to say that I appreciate the company.” Will can’t help but smile at the words, their gazes briefly locking across the table. 

Shortly after Will tries to help clean up but is shooed away. His mug is given a refill of mulled wine, and so for lack of anything else to do he leans in the entryway to the kitchen enjoying watching Hannibal's lithe form move around the room. Once things are cleaned up and put away Hannibal carries his own mug over to him. A moment later Will is pleasantly surprised when, without warning, Hannibal touches his face and kisses him quite thoroughly.

He_ hmms _ into the kiss, belatedly trying to hold his wine out so he won't spill it as he melts into the kiss. He hooks his other arm around Hannibal's waist, confused but pleased, the buzz he has going helping him to just enjoy the moment. And he always enjoys kissing Hannibal. As their lips slide against one anothers and their mouths open, tongues delving in and out playfully, Will realizes the mulling spices really complement and enhance Hannibal's natural taste and smell. The combination is intoxicating and he instantly realizes that he’s never going to be able to drink this again without getting mildly aroused. The kiss continues for a beat, passionately deepening before they are forced to break for air, resting their foreheads together, and when their eyes meet they both smile.

“What was that for?” Will asks, adding, “Not that I’m complaining.”

Hannibal's eyes flicker upward and when Will follows their path he laughs when he sees mistletoe hanging in the doorway.

“I was asking for it wasn't I?” Will jokes.

“You were, but you have been known to loiter in that spot in my kitchen, so it's _ just _possible that it may have been put there intentionally,” Hannibal teases back.

“Oh really?” Will smiles, playing along. “Because you know… you don't need mistletoe to kiss me,” he says lips less than an inch away from Hannibal’s.

“No?” Hannibal asks mock-innocently, bringing his lips closer but not touching Will’s. It’s an enticing game they’re playing, seeing who will give in first.

“No, you can kiss me _ anytime _ you want,” Will says, gaze flitting down to Hannibal’s lips briefly despite how close they are. In response the older Alpha's hand slides down his face, his thumb touching his lower lip before finally giving in and kissing him again. They both sigh into the kiss, mouths opening against one another before Hannibal pulls back, saying breathlessly, 

“That’s the best Christmas gift I’ve ever received - unlimited kisses from Will Graham.” 

As soon as the words leave Hannibal's mouth, he is kissing him again. Will almost gets lost in the intimate feeling brewing between them again, but when the words finally register he scoffs into the kiss, breaking it as he says, “That’s not your gift! Come on… “ 

Will steps back, taking Hannibal's free hand in his own and pulling him towards the fireplace. Since Will was here last Hannibal moved the tiny Christmas tree next to the fireplace. Together they sit on the floor and Will sees two presents under the small tree - the one he gave to Hannibal just hours ago, and another one. He grabs his gift for the older doctor and hands it to him, saying, “It’s not much but… merry Christmas.”

Hannibal accepts but looks pointedly at the other gift, asking “Will you open yours as well?”

“Sure,” Will says, smiling as he picks up the other gift, “But you first.” Will has been worried about this moment ever since Hannibal mentioned that he got him a gift. He is 100% certain that Hannibal probably got him something amazing (which may unintentionally make his gift look like crap in comparison) so he’d like to keep the embarrassment at bay as long as possible by having Hannibal open the one from him first. 

He honestly didn't know what to get a man like Hannibal who likely has everything he wants. What could Will possibly get him that he doesn’t already have? Especially on his very limited budget? Out of desperation he had googled “_gifts for doctors_” which generated quite a few results. He browsed through a few lists and was surprised when an item actually caught his eye - it simply screamed of Hannibal. And to boot it was only $14.99 and had free one day shipping (thank god he still has his free trial of Amazon Prime). 

He had ordered it but had continued to browse, not totally satisfied with the item he chose, as it’s not particularly meaningful or sentimental, but he figured it was better to have something than nothing. He had spent two more hours browsing but was eventually forced to concede that he couldn’t find anything else. 

Now Hannibal looks at him a moment, eyes narrowed, likely trying to parse out his motive but then says, “Very well,” and with a genuine smile he tears into the paper. 

*

Hannibal’s curiosity is piqued when Will insists that he go first. _ Why would it matter? _He eyes the younger man a moment before turning his scrutiny to the box in his hand. It’s wrapped in colorful wrapping paper showing a repeating pattern of cartoon dogs wearing Santa hats and scarves. To be honest he’s a little surprised at the wrapping - it’s almost juvenile and seems too cheery for his often sarcastic resident. However when he looks back at Will he can see it - can see the residual boy inside the man. Offhandedly he wonders if Will likes dogs and makes a mental note to ask him later. He’s not opposed to having a dog (although it’s nothing he personally desires) but he acknowledges he is getting ahead of himself. Realizing he has no reason not to concede to Will’s request, he tears the paper. Under the wrapping paper is a plain rectangular box which is fairly light.

His eyes look up to Will once before he opens it. Inside is a travel mug, and he laughs when he sees what is on the side of it. At first glance it’s an image of a bone, similar to the ones out of medical textbooks, marking the tubercles and epicondyles. However next to it in large letters it reads: I FOUND THIS HUMERUS. _ Indeed it is! _ he thinks, chuckling as he sets it down between his legs, leans over, takes Will’s face in his hands and kisses him. 

(something like this but a travel mug)

When he pulls back he sees Will has a delightful blush on his face, reminding Hannibal of the first time he saw Will back on orientation day, how he looked right after he winked at him. Just for fun he winks at him now, and is delighted to see the blush deepen, just as before. So beautiful. 

“Thank you Will, I love it. And it is indeed, quite _ humorous_,” Hannibal says, unable to help himself. He loves puns. And medicine. This combines both. And it will allow him to transport his coffee from home to work. For some reason he never considered it until now, always drinking a cup at home before he leaves, but he now realizes his 10AM cup could be his delicious home brew instead of that mediocre mass market sludge the hospital cafeteria serves. He knew Will was smart but he really is impressed. And in love. In this moment he feels hopelessly in love. He wants to tell Will, but is again reminded of his uncertainty of when it is appropriate to say such things and vows to find someone to ask for advice. 

*

“You're welcome,” Will says. His face still feels hot. How is it possible for Hannibal to undo him with just a wink? Lord he’s gone on him. He’s in love. To stop those words from coming out and embarrassing himself further, he instead rehashes his thought process, saying “I know it’s not much but it made me think of you and your god awful puns. And that ORIF you assisted on a few weeks ago, I know we're not orthopedic surgeons but mmm-”

Will is cut off by Hannibal kissing him again, and as he kisses back, surprised how cool Hannibal’s face feels pressed against his own but he's sure it’s just his own face being hot. Maybe he should scoot away from the fire? When the kiss naturally breaks their foreheads rest together and the older doctor brings a finger to Will’s lips - Will feels a tingle where he touches. 

“It’s perfect,” Hannibal says, smiling at him from under his lashes. “Now your turn.”

Will smiles as he looks down, thinking, _ well it was nice while it lasted. Now it’s time to feel dumb. _When he picks up his gift he realizes it’s actually two gifts tied together with a slim black ribbon, both gifts wrapped in gold paper. He looks up at Hannibal in accusation, to which he replies, “The smaller one is your actual gift. The other is... an indulgence.”

Will narrows his eyes, unsure what that means, but he decides to open the smaller one first and smiles at what’s inside. It’s a cobalt blue tie with a very small scale pattern on it, so small that it just makes the material look unique and luxurious. It looks amazing quality and Will doesn’t want to know how much it cost and wonders if it will make the rest of his suit look drab by comparison. But as his fingers smooth over the material he realizes it feels lovely and it does look like something he would pick out if he wasn't six figures deep in student loan debt. 

“This is beautiful, wow thank you,” Will says, seeing Hannibal smile at him. 

“You're very welcome Will. Let’s try it on, shall we?” Hannibal says and without waiting for a response he gently takes it out of Will’s hand, liberates it from its packaging, and loops it over Will, kneeling in front of him. As a result, Will has a lovely view of Hannibal’s chest as his dexterous surgeon’s fingers work the material at his throat, folding back the collar of his shirt - it feels intimate. 

When Hannibal is finished he rests back on his legs, assessing him, saying, “Oh yes that color is great on you, it brings out the blue in your eyes.” Will looks down at it, somehow feeling bashful. A moment later Hannibal adjusts the tightness of the tie and it rubs against the healing bite mark on his neck. He shivers and is surprised at the realization that he likes these tokens of Hannibal's possessiveness. 

“Thank yo-” Will starts to say again but is cut off when Hannibal uses the tie to pull him gently forward, bringing their mouths together once more. The pressure from the tie hurts the bite mark just a little, just enough to remind him it’s there and he can’t help but whimper a little into the kiss. At the sound, Hannibal pulls back and looks at him knowingly, and as if he can read Will his gaze falls to his neck, his hand following, touching over the bandage there.

“Sorry did that hurt?” he asks and Will thinks he can see a playful glimmer in his eyes. _ Bastard, he probably did that on purpose_. But god help him, he likes it. 

“You know it did,” Will says smirking at him. Hannibal watches him, looking unsure, so Will adds, “Just like how you knew I would like it.”

“An educated guess,” Hannibal says, smiling bashfully as his fingers gently brush over the bandage “… I had hoped as much.” He winks again and Will feels his traitorous skin flush again. “But let’s not forget you have one more gift.”

“Oh yeah, your _ indulgence_,” Will parrots, taking another sip of his wine before picking up the other box. It feels relatively light and out of reflex he shakes it, hearing items rattling around inside. He smiles at Hannibal and sees him smile back conspiratorially. Will waits a moment longer before tearing open the paper, and what is inside is something he never would have guessed in a million years. It’s a board game, _ Stratego_, the box says. He’s never heard of it.

“What is this?” Will asks, curious.

Hannibal’s smile softens with sadness as he says, “It's a game… a game I used to play with my sister every Christmas when I was young, although ours was the French version called _ L'Attaque_. I saw it when I was shopping. Normally it brings me sadness to see it… but I had hoped you would indulge me a game, give me some new happy memories to attach to it…” Hannibal had looked away as he started talking, as insecure as Will has ever seen him and he takes his hand, bringing Hannibal's gaze back to him.

“Of course, I’d love to,” Will says, mind reeling. Only once has Hannibal mentioned his sister, the day Will fell apart in his arms - when he said they weren't all that different from each other. Hannibal has suffered a loss… and is still affected by it but is doing his best… and maybe he is lonely, having no close family. Will can relate. Regardless, Will feels honored, his eyes moist as the meaning of the gift kicks in, offering a soft smile to Hannibal who is watching him. “You'll have to teach me how to play though,” Will adds which gets a smile out of the older doctor. 

He sees some of the tension leave Hannibal's shoulders, “It would be my pleasure.”

As Will opens the box Hannibal gets up, refills their mulled wine and adds a log to the fire. Feeling warm, Will rolls up the sleeves of his shirt and takes off his shoes, already feeling more at ease. He leaves the tie on though and sees the older Alpha smile approvingly when he returns, a single raised eyebrow and a conspiratorial smile. Hannibal take off his shoes and rolls up his sleeves as well as he sets up the game. 

Will focuses on reading the instructions - it seems straightforward enough. It seems to be a game of strategy, not that unlike chess but different pieces with different functions and he is excited to play. Or more specifically, he is excited and curious to go toe to toe with Hannibal on a strategy game. In a way it will be like their medical discussions, their intelligence near equal but Hannibal (again) with more experience. 

His reading is interrupted as Hannibal says, “I have one additional rule that you won’t find in the instructions.”

Will looks up from them. He has stretched out on his stomach on the rug with a pillow under him - it’s quite comfy. He raises an eyebrow curiously. 

“Sure what is it?”

“You must promise to not hold back.”

Will laughs, setting the instructions off to the side. “Why would I hold back?”

“Well we’re playing a game that is sentimental to me...” Will nods, yes he supposes that makes sense. 

“Alright but I’ve got a condition of my own then. You can’t hold back either.”

“Oh I wouldn't dream of it, I’m very competitive,” Hannibal says with a smile. Will smiles in return, unsurprised - most Alphas love a challenge, and he is no exception. 

“I am too,” he says, throwing in a wink, pleased to see Hannibal's cheeks pinken. _ Maybe he’s getting the hang of this, _ he thinks optimistically to himself. 

Hannibal reviews the gameplay with him, and once the rules are established they refill their mulled wine once more and then begin to play. Predictably Will loses the first game, which doesn’t last very long at all, and when it happens Hannibal looks too pleased. 

“I believe congratulations are in order,” Hannibal says and Will’s buzzed mind wants to wipe that smug grin off of his face so he says, 

“Oh yes, congratulations to me for playing Stratego for the first time.” Hannibal’s grin downturns halfway through the sentence, clearly not what he was expecting to hear. Will laughs at Hannibal's sour expression before continuing. “Wanna play again? I think I have the hang of it now. Consider that a practice round.”

Hannibal's eyes narrow at the challenge and he smiles, “Yes let’s.”

They set it up again and this round lasts much longer. Will stops drinking part way through, trying to keep a clear mind. Hannibal has the advantage on him of having played this before but Will is decent at strategy games and thinking ahead, as well as reading people - all skills that have helped him become the doctor he is today. And right now he trains those skills on the gorgeous man before him. Will thinks he is on the verge of winning until his flag is ambushed and he ends up losing. Fuck, he forgot scouts can move _ and attack _ on the same turn, he thought he had time to move out of the way.

Again Hannibal looks smug but this time says, “You’re improving. Do you want to play again?”

Will smirks, sitting up as he says, “Yes but first I need some reinforcements. Want a slice of pie?”

Hannibal smiles. “That sounds perfect, I’ll get it,” and he gets up. Will lays back on the floor watching the fire crackle, feeling the pleasant buzz from the wine, and listening to the music. He can't recall a happier Christmas moment than what he feels right now. He feels at home, as strange as it sounds. Not in the actual home, which he still finds intimidating as fuck in its embellishment and ornamentation, but just existing right now with Hannibal, having fun. He can’t recall the last time he did something like this. He already envisions them playing this every Christmas as a new tradition and shakes his head to dislodge the thoughts - he’s getting ahead of himself. 

At that moment Hannibal returns with two pieces of the pecan pie and forks. Will accepts his and watches as the older doctor sits down and takes a bite, curious what he will think (and a bit afraid if he’s honest, Hannibal might as well be a gourmet chef and he’s well...not). He watches as he chews, closes his eyes, seems to assess the flavor before opening his eyes and looking at Will in surprise.

“This is so interesting, I’ve never tasted anything like it…” Hannibal says, taking another bite.

“Do you like it?” Will asks, wanting to get it out of the way.

“I do.”

Will relaxes a little. “My mom used to make this around the holidays. She made it way better than I do.”

“I'm sure it was amazing,” Hannibal says compassionately. “But I can honestly say it’s the best pecan pie I've ever had” 

Will laughs. “Yeah because it’s the _ only _pecan pie you've ever had.”

“True but that doesn’t detract from my enjoyment of it.”

Will nods in acknowledgement and then asks, “Ready to go again?”

They play a few more rounds, during which Will discovers the mulled wine pairs quite nicely with his pie, warming him from the inside with the sugar and spices as he is warmed on the outside by the fire. Will finally wins on the fourth round, where he learns in addition to being competitive, Hannibal is also a relatively sore loser, but he doesn’t fault him as he is also. The more they play Will feels like he’s getting a glimpse of how Hannibal's mind works - his quick intelligence, strategy and problem solving. It’s impressive and he's incredibly proud when he finally starts giving Hannibal a run for his money so to speak. But just like their work relationship, they are nearly equally matched, and challenge each other in the best way possible. 

As they play Will is delighted to hear Hannibal tell him a little more about his childhood - how he was born in Lithuania and emigrated here after his sister died. And in turn Will ends up sharing some of his childhood - how he was raised in Louisiana where his dad would teach him how to fish and work on boat motors, and how his mom let him get a dog even when his father said no. 

The location of his upbringing has Hannibal asking him about Southern food and Will is surprised how much Hannibal hasn't tried - who hasn’t tried gumbo for fucks sake? They end up drunkenly agreeing upon Will helping him cook jambalaya at his earliest convenience. It’s an incredibly fun evening and later Will will remember one moment more vividly than all the rest, and for no discernible reason: Hannibal laying on the floor, socked feet in the air, staring intensely at his side of the board, hair falling over his eyes, and when he looks up at Will his smile is so pure and happy it’s infectious - Will is physically unable to stop himself from smiling back even if he wanted to. It's one of the happiest moments he can recall in the recent past. And he knows what the feeling is - he’s undeniably in love.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥♥♥ Thank you to everyone who has read this far and to those who have given feedback! I really appreicate it! ^_^ ♥♥♥
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
> If you like the story feel free to share it [here on tumblr](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com/post/190595428259/show-chapter-archive) or [here on twitter](https://twitter.com/madsteacup/status/1223760106610757632?s=20)
> 
> **End notes: **  
\- The Christmas dinner idea and pictures I got from [this website](https://www.gritsandpinecones.com/30-easy-and-elegant-christmas-dinner-ideas/)  
\- I chose Stratego as an homage to X-files - it was what Mulder was playing with his sister when she was abducted. (I've never played it though 🤷🏻)  
\- How Will found Hannibal's gift is literally how i found Hannibal's gift, lol  
\- A few years ago I got my husband a shirt that said "I FOUND THIS HUMERUS" with a picture of a bone just like the mug - I think I found it funnier than he did but he still wears it sometimes hehe. I'm like Hannibal - I LOVE PUNS! ^_^  
\- To be honest I'm not a huge fan of pecan pie, it's really sweet. I almost chose chess pie or buttermilk pie but I haven't tasted either of those (but I'm curious to)  
\- Preview of next chapter: angst, jealousy, insecurity, and “I love you”s ^_^
> 
> **Medical Terminology: **  
**\- Epicondyle**\- a specific anantomical part of a bone  
**\- Humerus**\- the bone from your shoulder to your elbow  
**\- ORIF **\- short for open reduction internal fixation, a surgical method to repair broken bones  
**\- Orthopedic surgeon **\- a surgeon that specilizes in the musculoskeletal system (bones, joints, ligaments, tendons and muscles)  
**\- Per diem **\- worker that has no set schedule and fills in as needed, because of this they are typically paid more to compensate for the inconsistent work  
**\- Tubercle**\- a small rounded projection on a bone  



	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little jealousy and insecurity, surprise declarations of love, and ofc some smut 😉

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Author notes: Hey sorry I’ve been MIA for awhile, first I got sick with the flu (which I still haven't been quite able to shake) and and then I got freaked out over COVID-19 (especially since I work in healthcare)...and tbh I am still freaked out! WTF world. I’m still a little sick and anxious and nauseated but I’m sooooo glad I’m finally able to get some writing done again!! Thanks for being patient 😘❤️  
  
Story notes: You may or may not have noticed that the total chapters went from 20 to ? - I did some tinkering to the plan - all the good stuff is still in there, it’s just streamlined but I’m still figuring out how many more it will be. And in regards to this chapter specifically, I may have fallen back in my default setting of writing Will a tad insecure (Alphas can be insecure too) so hopefully it’s not too OOC for him? Apologies if it is, I tried my best.

As Will drops his keys in the bowl by the door, he looks around his apartment with fresh eyes. He just (reluctantly) drove back from Hannibal’s house after their Christmas dinner. He would have loved to stay over - would have loved to sleep next to Hannibal and wake up in his luxurious bed again as he did after the Christmas party - but sadly they both have to work tomorrow.

However, having just come from Hannibal's luxurious home, he can’t help but compare their living situations. In his own shabby studio apartment the furniture is all second hand, the kitchen looks like it was built in the 1980s, and the walls are that generic eggshell color complete with popcorn ceilings. Hell even his “key bowl” is actually his childhood dog’s water dish. 

Imagining seeing his apartment through Hannibal’s eyes, he is once again reminded of the discrepancy between them, not just in wealth but in status. He can’t help that in the back of his mind he worries that eventually the older doctor will realize just how from different worlds they really are and change his mind. In fact just the thought of Hannibal in his tiny cramped apartment makes him cringe with imagined embarrassment.

Will does his best to put those worries out of his mind as he gets ready for bed. And when he arrives for his shift the next morning those thoughts are far from his mind. In their place he notices now that Christmas is over, the majority of the regular staff at the hospital are back to work. Amusingly Will finds he is stared at literally everywhere he goes, leaving a trail of whispers in his wake, but other than that things feel mostly back to normal. 

Midday as he and Hannibal are walking to lunch together their names are paged overhead, “_Dr. Lecter and Dr. Graham please report to Dr. Gideon’s office_.” Will rolls his eyes as he glances at Hannibal, seeing him look unamused. 

“It appears we are being summoned,” Hannibal says dryly, and with a gentle hand at the small of his back Will is reluctantly steered away from the cafeteria towards Gideon’s office. As they walk Will mentally concedes he isn’t totally surprised, truth be told he suspected something like this was coming. He just wishes it would have waited until _ after _ lunch, as his empty stomach growls. 

When they arrive Gideon’s office door is already open, so Will follows Hannibal in and sits down in one of the guest chairs. And as he takes in Gideon’s expression at their arrival, Will can’t help but think of the phrase_ if looks could kill, _because surely if they could they would both be dead. The rational part of his mind knows he probably should be worried, but somehow with Hannibal at his side it’s all he can do not to smile at their victory. This is more than he ever hoped for, just to be open with their relationship and both of them still with a job, but of course despite the calm he feels now in the back of his mind he is still a bit worried about the potential fallout from their actions at the Christmas party. 

*

Gideon has spent the last few days fuming. Once again bested by Hannibal Lecter. He's so tired of this. And at the end of the day, while he is _ very _ angry at Hannibal, he’s honestly more angry at himself. It was incredibly disappointing to realize that while he thought he had the winning hand, he still lost. And what's worse is he didn't lose anything tangible or life changing (like his job), instead he just lost his pride, which may be better in the long run but feels a hundred times worse. Ever since he was forced to step down from Chief of Surgery and into the role of Residency Director, he’s been walked all over, and instances like this just reinforce that this is, in fact, his reality.

After the initial shock wore off (and after he gave Jack an earful, which in retrospect was a _ massive _ waste of time), the best solution he could come up with was that _ he _ will be the one to do Will’s quarterly evaluations. He did consider assigning the task to one of his least-liked surgeons, or to one of the most strict, but the sad truth is no one is stricter than Hannibal, and he doesn't hate anyone more than Hannibal, so those strategies are null and void. But he _ knows _he himself will be strict on Will. So even though it will ultimately make more work for him, he knows that is the best choice. And after all he already knows how to do it - he did used to be the Chief of Surgery. And furthermore the truth is he wouldn't trust anyone else with that task. One silver lining to the situation is he hopes his scrutiny will make Will uncomfortable, and that thought brings back a small feeling of power over Hannibal, even indirect as it is, which is somewhat of a condolence to his overall humiliation.

After he explains the proposal, the men sat in front of him have no choice but to accept his conditions, and he's satisfied to see a minute twitch of discomfort in Will, although unfortunately Hannibal still looks as unflappably smug as always, the bastard.

*

All through lunch Will can’t help feeling a little distracted. Hannibal seems cool as a cucumber, but Will can't help that his worries have taken root and despite his best efforts have continued to percolate. What if Gideon fails him? He now has a man who they publicly humiliated who will be evaluating him on his skills! Because of this he knows he’s going to have to work even harder, which he’s not afraid of but foresees being difficult simply due to the fact that he’s so in love with Hannibal his feelings monopolize his thoughts - it’s the best type of distraction, but still a distraction nonetheless.

However his worries don’t stop there. His concern from last night seems to dogpile on his existing fears, worrying that maybe Hannibal won't feel the same way about him once he finally realizes how different they really are, that if he can’t be enough to be passed by Gideon, how could he possibly be enough for a world renowned surgeon like Hannibal? And surely eventually someone better will come along and catch Hannibal’s eye. Will’s heart sinks as he feels like at any moment all the good things he has could be ripped away from him and it unsettles him greatly.

As they walk to their surgery consult after lunch, Will does his best to put his worries out of his mind for the time being, wanting to focus wholeheartedly on everything he can learn. _ Finally _ there are less patients in the hospital which allows him to work alongside Hannibal once more and he's very glad for it. He is honestly glad he got the chance to spread his wings and build his confidence working independently, but he feels ready to actively learn new tasks again under Hannibal's watchful eye, especially now knowing Gideon is going to be evaluating him in a few months time. He knows he needs to get as much tutelage as he can before that happens. Will wants to keep his place here and not give Gideon any ammunition to use against Hannibal. The whole situation is overwhelmingly stressful, but he plans to do his best.

As they walk, Hannibal briefs him on their consult: Roland Umber, a heroin addict needs a scent gland tumor biopsy and excision. The older doctor explains to him how in situations like this only Alphas or Betas can perform the surgery because often the high volume of Alpha scent released during surgery can send even mated Omegas into heat. Will makes note of that but can’t help the disappointment he feels at the reminder that it’s impossible for him and Hannibal to properly mate, or for that matter be true mates. It’s just another way he feels inadequate and not the best partner for Hannibal. But for now he tries to stay professional as they walk into the patient’s room. 

The meeting with Roland is fairly uneventful, mainly checking that he understands and consents to the surgery and double checking for any contraindications. 

As they walk to the nurses station Hannibal turns to him and says, “There's one more thing we need to do before we schedule him for surgery.” His gaze is curious and Will wracks his brain trying to think of what else they need to do but comes up with nothing - they did everything that they would normally do to clear a patient for surgery and he can’t help but feel like he’s letting Hannibal down as he replies.

“What else do we need to do?”

Contrary to Will’s worry, Hannibal doesn’t look disappointed in the slightest, instead appearing satisfied that he’s getting to impart some knowledge on Will, yet Will can’t shake the unease.

“I’d like to do an anesthesia consult. Since this young man has a history of heroin addiction, he’s likely to need a higher dose of anesthesia.”

Once again of course once Hannibal says it makes perfect sense, although Will can’t help but wonder, “And you don't trust the standard hospital anesthesiologist review?”

Hannibal smiles at him as he says, “I find the benefit of making sure the patient doesn’t wake up during surgery is worth the small time investment of calling an anesthesiologist I trust. As you gain experience it’s helpful to find at least one member of each specialty that you trust in case you ever need a reliable opinion.”

Will nods in understanding, watching as Hannibal picks up the phone, and only as he listens does Will realize he has no idea who this anesthesiologist is that Hannibal trusts. They must be good to be in Hannibal’s high regard.

“Dr. Du Maurier please call 415,” can be heard through the overhead PA a moment later. _ Du Maurier… _Will struggles to remember who that is, the name sounds familiar. He thinks he met someone with that name at his orientation but can’t place who it is...

However he doesn’t have to wait long to find out because rather than respond by phone, surprisingly said doctor walks into the nurses station.

“Hannibal!” 

“Dr. Du Maurier, you didn't have to come all the way over here,” Hannibal says with a warm smile, and Will can’t help the instant dislike of this person who calls Hannibal by his first name and makes Hannibal smile like that.

“Call me Bedelia, please! And oh no it's my pleasure, I was in the area anyway. Besides I haven't seen you in awhile, we miss you at the opera,” she says, standing closer to him than most people would consider acceptable at work while touching his upper arm, both of which have Will clenching his jaw and trying to control his breathing, jealous rage bubbling inside of him. And what makes it worse is Hannibal doesn’t even seem to notice!

“Apologies, I admit I've been rather agreeably occupied of late,” Hannibal says, eyes landing on Will. Any other time the action would make Will happy but right now it’s all he can do to focus on remaining professional. 

“Oh yes,” the woman's tone notably changes as she looks at Will for the first time. “You must be Will Graham,” she says, putting out her hand.

Despite really not wanting to, Will shakes her hand, and before he can speak she continues, “I've heard a lot about you.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” Will says as politely as he can manage despite the possessive jealousy flaring inside of him. “Although I haven't heard much about _ you _,” he can't help but add.

Rather than look irritated (which Will can admit to himself he was hoping for), she smiles knowingly. And the second that they shake hands Will smells her scent and realizes she's an Omega! Instantly he finds himself repulsed by her scent, it’s sickly sweet and fake almost like cotton candy.

“Well there's not much to tell,” she says, glancing at Hannibal before she continues. “But I assume you called me down here for more than introducing me to Dr. Graham,” she says to Hannibal. After a second she adds, “No offense,” to Will who finds himself nodding despite the fact that he is a bit offended. 

“Yes, can you write the anesthesia order for Mr. Umber? He’s a heavy heroin user and on methadone while in the hospital so I'd feel safer with a practiced hand dosing it.” 

“Of course, anything for a _ friend _,” she says which causes Will’s hackles to rise. 

“Thank you, we’ll book the surgery for this afternoon then, will that give you enough time?”

“Oh yes that's fine.” 

Will starts following Hannibal out, thankful to be leaving when she adds, “Oh and Hannibal?” Will cringes, thinking _ fuck this woman_. He can’t wait to be away from her.

“Yes?” Hannibal says as he stops and turns. Will stands closer to Hannibal than is appropriate under the guise of the abrupt halt, smelling Hannibal's clove scent, letting the proximity calm him.

“It was good to see you,” she says with a smile and Will is _ so _ ready to be out of here. 

“Likewise,” Hannibal says, and then thankfully they_ finally _ succeed in leaving the room.

As they take the elevator down to the surgery scheduling area Will can't help asking, “So what's the deal with her?”

Hannibal raises his eyebrow and for a moment he looks like he's about to say_ Deal? _ but instead he sighs and says “Bedelia and I briefly dated.”

The words would have halted Will in his tracks had he been walking, as it is he’s in shock. He knew there was _ something _ but he was not expecting that! And for Hannibal to say it so dismissively, he can feel his hackles rise again. 

“And you didn't think to tell me that before you paged her?” Will says, trying to remain calm. 

“It’s hardly relevant Will. It wasn't romantic, it was just through my rut, and then since she enjoyed the opera too we would occasionally go there together. By having her there with me it was a nice break of not getting hit on or set up, but I was upfront with her about what it was. Just because we dated doesn't mean I had feelings for her.”

The elevator arrives at their floor and as they walk into the busy surgical floor Will realizes this really this isn’t the setting to explain that _ yes it is fucking relevant Hannibal _ so instead Will nods and says, “Uh huh,” and does his best to suppress his instinct to shove Hannibal into the nearest surface and either yell at him or kiss him to remind him (and himself) just who Hannibal is with and does have feelings for.

The whole situation stirs up Will’s existing insecurity even more because of course Dr. Du Maurier is probably wealthy like Hannibal, and Hannibal obviously holds her in high regard professionally to choose her for a consult. And just to add fuel to the fire, she likes the fucking opera, _ and _she’s an Omega. She seems like the perfect partner for Hannibal in many ways, and in ways he can't be. Fuck, she could even be his true mate! And Will knows he can't be because he’s an Alpha.

The longer the day goes on Will’s anger dissipates into sadness, wondering if it’s really just a matter of time before Hannibal sees the obvious truth - that he can't be what he needs.

*

Throughout the rest of the day Hannibal can tell something is off with Will. As they sit next to each other typing in their notes, reports, and orders, he thinks back over the day's events. Ever since midday Will has gone quiet. He’s still performing admirably like he always does, but his answers are short - sometimes clipped, sometimes resigned.

It’s not like Will, and Hannibal doesn't like it. He asks him if everything is okay and the younger doctor says _ yes _ but he sounds so defeated that it’s obvious he’s lying. Hannibal would be mad except that the younger Alpha sounds so sad that he can't muster any real anger; he just wants Will to be happy. But since Will won't tell him what's wrong, Hannibal instead turns his analytical mind to the situation.

Upon reflection, Hannibal realizes Will started acting odd after they saw that heroin patient. For a split second Hannibal wonders if Will has a past with drugs? Maybe it reminded him of a dark time in his life? Or maybe he has a secret addiction to pain meds? However as soon as the thought forms he dismisses the idea, it doesn't track with what he knows of Will. Maybe one of Will’s family members has a drug problem? Maybe it brought up bad memories?

None of his musings feel right, and over the years Hannibal has learned to trust his gut so he continues to think, wondering if maybe Will was bothered by Bedelia? As he recalls she was her normal self. He doesn't recall her saying or doing anything particularly provocative. However he can’t deny that the timing does suggest she might be the problem. 

Hannibal tries to reverse their roles in his mind, imagining what if Will just introduced him to a former booty call - no romantic ties, but someone who has known his body intimately. His blood boils at the thought, possessive rage coming over him that anyone dare touch what is his, even hypothetically and in the past. And _ oh _-

All of a sudden it makes perfect sense. Poor Will. And he told him it was irrelevant. Hannibal shakes his head, disappointed in his actions but he tries not to be too hard on himself; after all this is his first real relationship, he's bound to make mistakes. It’s how people learn. But despite this epiphany he can’t help but wonder why Will is so quiet. He's usually fairly direct. Maybe he's waiting until after work to be professional? Hannibal is almost curious to wait to find out, but the sadness Will is emanating makes him want to act sooner. His love for Will, wanting to see him happy at all times, is stronger than his curiosity. 

All at once Hannibal knows what to do and he doesn't want to wait a moment longer, not even the mere hour until they are off of work. He gets up and discreetly takes Will’s hand. Will's eyes widen in both surprise and fear. Hannibal is not surprised at the latter, it makes sense after the history they have with PDA at the hospital for Will to be worried, but he just smiles and says softly, “Come with me, please.”

No sooner has he spoken the words than Will is rising from the computer terminal at the nurses station and following him. Hannibal keeps their hands hidden between them as he looks around quickly before making a decision and opening a supply closet, quickly pulling them both inside and shutting the door. It's not perfect but it will have to do, there's not many private areas on this floor. Hannibal holds onto Will with one hand while he scrabbles for the light switch with the other.

Once the light flickers on, he can see Will looks both surprised and confused...and happy; it’s an improvement but Hannibal wants to do better so he takes Will’s face into his hands and kisses him softly, lovingly, and Will’s eyes slip shut on a contented sigh as he kisses him back. 

When Hannibal pulls back he rests their foreheads together, looking at Will too close, breathing in his lovely scent as he says softly, “You silly man, I may have dated her, but I _ chose _ you.”

Will smiles briefly before it falters again and now Hannibal is confused. What else is preoccupying Will? 

“Yes I know...but what if you don't know what you're really choosing?” Will says which confuses Hannibal further until Will adds, “What if I hate the opera?” Will says it so seriously that Hannibal can't help but laugh, it's ridiculous. 

“Will,” he says looking into his eyes, “You are an incredibly smart man but sometimes you can be quite dumb.” At his words Will looks stricken so Hannibal rushes to clarify, stroking his cheek lightly. “Liking the opera makes no difference to me. Of course I would love it if you would go with me sometime, but if you don't that’s fine too.”

Will looks unconvinced so Hannibal tries a different tack. “Let me take you out after work, hm?”

In response Will smiles, still not looking quite himself but overall much improved and he agrees, “Okay, yeah that would be nice.”

Hannibal kisses him once more before he says okay, “Let’s finish up, you leave first.” Will nods and slips out of the supply closet, and then Hannibal waits a minute or two before discreetly following. 

Once back at their respective work stations Hannibal brainstorms where to go. If Will thinks being with him requires attendance to the opera maybe it would be better to take him somewhere less fancy. Instantly an idea pops into his head - a small dive bar he used to go during his own residency. It doesn't look like much but the drinks are strong, the food and music are decent, and best of all the booths are fairly private. It's perfect.

*

After work Will quickly runs home to change out of his scrubs and meets Hannibal back at the hospital. Hannibal offered to walk with him but Will declined - he doesn't want Hannibal to see where he lives. He knows he can't avoid it forever but maybe he can keep it hidden at least until he finishes his residency and moves out? It sounds unrealistic but with his current insecurity he's not about to give Hannibal any prompting to remind him of the discrepancy in their social status. 

He was planning to wear his dress shirt with the tie Hannibal got him for Christmas but Hannibal said casual. However Will can't help but wonder _ what is casual to Hannibal? _ He didn’t go home to change so he’ll be in his suit from work! _ Argh. _ Will rubs his temples in frustration and ends up settling on a pair of very dark jeans and a button down shirt. At a distance it looks like slacks, and he can tuck in his shirt for a more formal look or roll up his sleeves for a more casual look depending on where they go. 

When he meets up with Hannibal at the hospital he almost laughs as he unbuttons his sleeves and rolls them up. Hannibal’s tie and jacket are gone and he's rolled up his dress shirt sleeves too. Apparently it really is casual. Or at least as casual as Hannibal gets. 

The older doctor takes his hand and kisses it in greeting, rubbing his hand up over Will’s now exposed forearm before saying, “Shall we?”

Will nods, unable to stop a smile despite his worries still simmering in the back of his mind. However, when Hannibal leads him away from the parking structure Will is confused and asks, “We’re not driving?”

“No, it's close by,” Hannibal says. He is led a few blocks over and Hannibal stops and opens the door to a bar that Will has never been in before. As they walk inside Will thinks _ no, scratch that, it’s not a bar, it’s a dive bar. _ He's surprised, it's not at all fancy or classy - the last place he would expect Hannibal to choose and he eyes him curiously.

It's immediately evident that Hannibal has been here before the way he effortlessly navigates them to a secluded booth. Within seconds of them sitting down a scantily clad gothic waitress appears and takes their drink order. The second she leaves Hannibal's arm comes around him and pulls him close, nuzzling at his neck.

For a moment Will forgets his worries and just gets lost in the moment, enjoying the affection and the novel experience of seeing Chief of Surgery, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, in a grimey place like this. In fact it's almost as if Hannibal’s hair even knows it should behave differently because it is slowly falling out of its gelled placement. As Will looks around he can easily imagine coming here with Beverly for cheap drinks before hopping to another bar. This place has no dance floor, it’s literally just a bar with music from an old jukebox of all things, one pool table, and booths. It looks like there's a makeshift stage off to the side too but it's not currently in use. 

The waitress brings their drinks and smiles knowingly at them before leaving them be. Will barely has taken a sip of his drink when he is manhandled into Hannibal's lap, the table scooting to accommodate him and he holds his drink out to prevent it from spilling. 

“Hey what are you doing?” he asks, more out of surprise than anything. By the time Hannibal has him settled he's straddling his lap, which causes Will to blush - they are in a public place after all.

“I like you here,” Hannibal says as he takes a sip of his drink with one hand and rubs Will’s thigh with his other hand which has Will starting to harden, arousal coiling low in his belly. Will takes another gulp of his drink to buy him time and realizes _ wow these drinks are strong _because his head is already fuzzy and he can’t help but wonder why he was worried before. After all, life seems pretty good right now and he downs the rest of his drink so he can settle fully into Hannibal's lap, cringing a bit as he swallows it down. He smiles when he sees Hannibal do the same and soon enough he's not even sure who started it but they are kissing. 

Hannibal's mouth is hot and tastes of gin and lemon and he plunders it, licking in, forgetting where they are in lieu of the incredible feeling of the older Alpha’s mouth against his own. Large hands cup his ass as he feels the older doctor’s cock harden below him. It's intoxicating and Will can't help but grind down a bit which causes Hannibal to squeeze his ass harder with one hand while using the other to take control of the kiss, holding his hair as his tongue explores his mouth, causing Will to whimper. 

When his own sounds reach his ear, it seems to finally reach his mind that maybe he should be embarrassed and his eyes suddenly fly open, remembering where they are. No one is nearby to watch them but Will’s curiosity returns so he pulls back and asks, “How do you know about this place?”

Hannibal lets out a breathy chuckle as he continues to hold Will’s hair and kiss his throat., saying “I used to come here during my residency.” 

Will is surprised, this doesn't look like a place Hannibal would frequent, even when he was young. But he supposes he doesn't know what Hannibal was like as a young man. But he wants to so he says, “Really? Did you ever do _ this _ here?” he asks, shamelessly grinding his cock against Hannibal's own, making them both gasp.

When Hannibal's eyes meet his own they are glossy and he says sincerely, “Never with anyone as special as you.”

That has Will sad for a moment, realizing it's not a _ no _ and immediately his mind returns to Bedelia, imagining her in a young Hannibal’s lap. His disappointment and disgust must show on his face because Hannibal asks softly, “You're not still hung up on Bedelia are you?”

The alcohol and security that comes from being so close to the older doctor makes Will’s worries spill forth unimpeded.

“I just…” Hannibal watches him patiently as Will tries to make words out of the tangle of feelings swirling around inside of him. “Okay, I know you said you don't care if I like the opera - and yes I'm open to going with you, I've never been…” Will sees Hannibal’s eyes twinkle with happiness and he wishes it really were that easy, that that would be enough. He fears it isn’t but continues, “I just...what if I can't be what you need? What if I embarrass you at the opera? I don’t have the money to dress like you. Or cook like you. I'm not someone you can show off and be proud of...if anything I'm your controversy dragging your reputation down…and...I'm not an Omega. We can't be true mates...what if you meet your true mate one day?”

As he spoke Will had averted his eyes, and once he finished Hannibal gently brings his gaze back to his own with a tilt to his chin as he says, “My dear Will...I don't know how I can prove to you how wrong you are. You could never embarrass me, I want to be with you for you, not for what you wear or what you cook. And what’s more, do you think I dressed and cooked like this when I was a resident?” 

Will pauses to think about that but before he can say anything Hannibal continues, “And while you know as well as I do the controversy our relationship had at the beginning, I never once have been anything but proud that you choose to be with me. You’ve seen how selective I am in other parts of my life, I don't settle for anything less than what I want...” 

Will smiles but Hannibal presses on, pausing slightly before saying carefully, “I can't promise that either one of us won't meet our true mates one day...the same fear has crossed my mind as well... No one knows what the future holds Will, but we are human with free choice, there is no law saying one has to be with their true mate. I would never impede your happiness...but as for my own, no one has ever made me as happy as you Will...and I choose to be with you for that reason.” 

After another pause he adds in a lighter tone, “And specifically in regards to you not being an Omega like Bedelia…” Will can't help the look of disgust that flits across his face and Hannibal laughs, kissing him once before he says, “Let me rephrase...in regards to you being an Alpha...you do realize there is at least one thing that you can provide me with that she can’t…”

Will’s buzzed mind swirls, trying to process what Hannibal is saying. He had been so focused on what he _ didn’t have _ that he didn’t think about what he _ does _have, yet after a moment of thought he comes up blank. 

“What is that?” he asks, honestly curious.

Hannibal’s slow sensuous smile has hot want pooling in Will’s belly. The older Alpha whispers into the shared space between them as he rolls his hips up, erection sliding against Will’s through the layers of fabric, “_ Think _Will…”

Will finds he can't think for a moment for how good it feels but he tries. _ What does he have that an Omega doesn't? Well a dick with a knot for one...oh...oh! _

Will’s eyes widen as he looks at Hannibal in shock. They haven’t talked about this and up until thos moment Will had been operating under the assumption that like most Alphas, Hannibal probably didn’t want to be on the receiving end of penetrative sex. Apparently he might have been mistaken. The thought of fucking Hannibal brings back his fantasies from his last rut and has to shut his eyes against the intensity of his desire.

When he opens them again Hannibal is looking at him hungrily and not wanting to misunderstand, Will blurts out, “And just to clarify, that...is something you would want?” 

Hannibal chuckles and kisses his neck, working his way up to his ear as he says, “Yes I want that very much….I want you to make love to me the way only an Alpha male can Will...as long as that is something you want too…” he says continuing to nuzzle at Will and Will is lost, mind free floating and so incredibly hard it almost hurts. 

“Oh god yes,” Will says.

“Let’s get out of here, hm?”

Will’s buzzed mind loves the sound of that, _ yesss_. He wants to get somewhere private with Hannibal and soon, otherwise he might embarrass himself.

Will nods, kissing Hannibal once more before reluctantly sliding off his lap and somewhat awkwardly scooting out of the booth, banging his leg on the table but hardly feeling it in his haste to scramble out. Hannibal exits the booth more gracefully but his long limbs move more loosely than they usually do and he has a flush on his cheeks - he looks buzzed too, as well as incredibly gorgeous and sexy.

Hannibal leaves some cash on the table, adjusts himself and then takes Will’s hand and leads them out a back door Will didn’t even see.

The walk back feels both incredibly long and unbelievably short. There are moments Will is antsy to shove Hannibal against the closest surface and ravage him but refrains, holding out for something undoubtedly better, blindly following Hannibal, assuming he has a plan for _ where _they are going.

In fact he was so distracted by his wayward thoughts that when Hannibal stops he is surprised to see they are in front of his own apartment building. The older Alpha looks at him seductively and Will, despite his buzzed aroused state, now narrows his eyes in suspicion.

“Did you do this on purpose?”

Hannibal smiles warmly and says “No I didn't, but I’m not one to let an opportunity pass us by. I was walking us back to my car but neither of us are in a position to drive, and I’m assuming your apartment would provide a more comfortable and private setting than the hospital,” here Hannibal pauses briefly as a sour look crosses his face and he adds, “...unless you have a roommate?” The smile falls off the older doctor's face, looking so stricken at the possibility that Will has a roommate he never knew about that Will can't help but laugh and believe him.

Will takes him in his arms and says, “Hey, I don’t have a roommate...but…” and here the smile now falls off Will's face, “...just don't expect too much, okay? It's a really small studio apartment and I'm on a limited income-” he starts to say but Hannibal puts a hand over his mouth, smiling at him before removing it and kissing him.

Will is just getting lost in the kiss again when Hannibal steps back and says, “I don’t care what it looks like or how big it is. If it worries you you can have the lights off the whole time. I just want to be with you.”

Will’s heart melts a little at the declaration. He wants to believe it and his desire for Hannibal wins out over his insecurity so he takes his hand with a small smile and says, “Alright come on.”

As Will pulls out his key to get them into the building he is forced to let go of Hannibal's hand. Once inside he leads Hannibal to the stairs since the elevator still has the same yellow caution tape on it from months ago when he moved in.

*

Hannibal has to admit he is quite pleased with how the evening is developing. He didn't lie to Will, he truly didn't plan on getting to see Will's apartment, but he has to say he's happy it's turning out that way. He has been curious, especially at Will’s vehement reaction earlier today that Hannibal wait for him at the hospital rather than going with him to change.

They stumble their way up the stairs, Hannibal following since he has no idea which apartment is Will’s, all the while resisting the urge to shove the younger doctor against the wall and kiss him. His arousal may have been placed on the back burner from their walk over but now that they are alone he's more than ready to resume their activities. Especially now, Hannibal can’t wait to find out what it is like to feel Will inside of him. Just the thought has him shivering in anticipation.

Eventually Will leads them away from the stairwell, down a hallway, and then comes to a stop in front of a door. It takes all of Hannibal's self control not to press Will flush against it from behind, instead consoling himself with pressing his body to his backside and nuzzling at his neck, drinking in his floral scent. 

Will shudders and fumbles with the keys so Hannibal reluctantly pulls back a fraction, taking a look around the hallway - not much of note, other than Will’s apartment is number 408. Finally Will gets the door open and Hannibal follows him inside. 

Will flicks a light switch, tosses his keys into a bowl and Hannibal thinks he sees a glimmer of unease before Will approaches him and kisses him. Hannibal melts into the kiss, loving the feeling of Will against him, loving how the scent of him is suddenly all around since this is his home.

*

Will fists Hannibal's shirt and pulls as he walks backwards into his small apartment, desperate to be with Hannibal like this - he’s never in his life had the opportunity to fuck an Alpha male and while he lamented that fact in the past, right now he is thankful because there is no one he would rather experience it with than the man before him. 

Still a little buzzed and distracted by the lovely arousal brewing between them, Will is forced to stall his progress to his bed when his kitchen table presses into his backside. He starts to maneuver around it but apparently Hannibal has another idea because suddenly Will finds strong hands on his hips holding him in place as a solid body presses against his front, effectively pinning him to the table. They both groan as their bodies instinctually find friction against one another, the slide against his still clothed erection tantalizing yet not nearly enough.

Lost in the moment, Will resumes kissing Hannibal, one hand threading into his soft hair while the other grips his shirt, holding him close. However a moment later the kiss is broken as Will gasps in surprise when strong hands lift behind his thighs, depositing him on his own kitchen table. Automatically his legs lock around Hannibal’s hips, unwilling to lose the contact between them although his mind he can’t help but realize this is the opposite orientation than he intended, but it feels good so who is he to complain. Especially when Hannibal’s lips are consuming his own like he can’t get enough. 

Their encounter continues to pick up steam with their erections grinding against each other. Eventually Will is panting and moaning so much that their kiss is broken and he feels Hannibal kissing and biting at his neck. Will shivers at the memory of Hannibal’s bite during his rut. Now that he knows Hannibal’s proclivities he wonders if he would be allowed to bite Hannibal during his next rut. Just the thought alone of spending his next rut with Hannibal has his moans increasing in desperation and frequency. 

He is brought out of his daydream as he gasps, realizing that while he was lost in his thoughts, apparently Hannibal was able to get his first three buttons of his shirt undone as he now feels lips brushing against his nipple. Hannibal continues his sensuous exploration one button at a time, the tease tantalizing as he kisses, licks and bites at every piece of newly exposed skin, making Will unable to focus on anything except the pleasure.

However when Hannibal pulls back and starts to undo his belt Will comes back to his senses a bit, remembering they never made it to his bed and asks, “Are we really doing this _ here_?”

Hannibal pauses his motions and smirks playfully as he asks, “You object?”

“Well no but…” Will starts, unsure how to voice that as hot as this is, if he’s going to fuck Hannibal and knot him, which is where he hopes this evening is headed, his small bed will likely be more comfortable than the kitchen table. However before he can formulate a response, Hannibal continues.

“I think it's a very appropriate place for you considering you look good enough to eat,” Hannibal says, eyeing him hungrily yet his eyes sparkle with mirth at his play on words.

Will can’t help smiling as he rolls his eyes, no one but Hannibal could pull off saying such something so ridiculous. In his amusement he responds automatically, saying, “Oh god that was horrible, you and your puns, sometimes I don't’ know why I love you-” 

Will’s hand flies to his mouth instantly, sure his eyes must be wide in shock. Fucking alcohol, in this moment he vows he’s never going to drink again. Fuck! How did that slip out? It’s true, he does love Hannibal, but he hadn’t planned on saying it! They haven’t been dating very long and he suspects it is way too soon for such declarations. 

All of a sudden he worries he ruined the mood, that Hannibal will be uncomfortable if he doesn’t want to say it back. Maybe he’ll even leave and the disappointment Will starts to feel is crushing, not just for the lost opportunity for the novel sexual experience he was sure he was going to have, but that he’s _ really _not ready to hear that Hannibal doesn’t love him. After all, how could he? He told Will from the beginning he had never been in love with anyone. Oh fuck. His mind is swirling with worst case scenarios and he finds he can’t look at Hannibal right now. God he really fucked this up.

However a moment later a gentle finger to his chin is bringing his gaze back to the gorgeous Alpha above him, forcing their eyes to meet. Despite his fear Will doesn’t shy away and stares into warm brown eyes he has come to know so well, waiting for it all to fall apart.

*

Hannibal can’t believe his ears. Did Will really just say he loved him? For a moment he worries he imagined it, somehow willed it into being by lying to Jack Crawford a few weeks ago. It seems too good to be true. Although Will’s reaction certainly isn’t exactly instilling him with confidence. But on the chance he heard correctly Hannibal has to know, so he gently brings Will’s gaze back to his own, happy when he encounters no resistance. Once he is greeted by Will’s ocean blue eyes staring up at him, he asks somewhat breathlessly, “...you...love me?” 

He mentally admits it’s not his most eloquent moment, but he concedes he has never felt like this before. Many people have confessed their love to him, but none have ever made him feel like his heart is swelling so big that surely his chest will crack open at any moment. None have ever compelled him to return the sentiment. Which he fully intends to do as soon as he hears confirmation that those sweet words were indeed what Will said. 

Despite his unwavering eye contact, Hannibal sees a torrid blush crawl up Will’s cheeks as he replies with more conviction, “Yeah, I do,” swallowing right after he says the words.

Hannibal has to shut his eyes for a moment, both at the intensity of feeling and the moisture that has gathered there. God he really is in love, he’s always been skeptical of how people described being in love, but now he understands. He feels on cloud nine, nearly overwhelmed with happiness. 

After a moment he opens his eyes to the sight of Will staring wide eyed at him. In response Hannibal can’t help but smile as he cradles the younger Alpha’s cheek in his hand, feeling Will's hand come over his own as he says, “I love you too Will.” All at once Will’s face breaks out into the most beautiful smile he’s ever seen and turns to kiss his palm as Hannibal lets out a breath, needing a moment.

*

Will can’t believe it! Hannibal loves him?!? Hannibal, who has never been in love with anyone, loves _ him _? The feeling renews his vigor, more than ever feeling compelled to provide and care for the one he loves, to be a partner worthy of this incredible man in front of him who could have anyone, yet for some reason has chosen Will. Who seems to want for nothing in life, yet seems to want Will. Which reminds Will of their conversation earlier...if Hannibal really does want Will to give him what only an Alpha male can give, he is only too happy to acquiesce. 

They are smiling at each other stupidly when Will decides to take action. He grips Hannibal’s forearm, pulling himself up, and kisses the older doctor, drinking in his warm clove scent. They both sigh into the kiss and Will feels a calm settle over him. Everything is perfect. In one evening he has literally bared all his secrets and insecurities - his jealousy, his shitty apartment, his declaration of love - and miraculously Hannibal is still here, and loves him! It’s incredibly freeing and he takes charge of the moment, opening his mouth further, licking into Hannibal’s warm mouth, sliding their tongues against one another hotly. 

Under his ministrations the kiss quickly turns from sweet to hot, and Will uses his strength to shove off of the table, forcing Hannibal to step back as they kiss. Once his feet are on the floor he crowds Hannibal back into the door, pressing their bodies together. The wanton sound Hannibal makes has Will’s inner Alpha roaring to take and claim - he feels powerful, unafraid. He slides his hands down Hannibal's body, grips his thighs and lifts, grunting into their kiss as he feels Hannibal gasp in surprise and wrap his legs around him, thinking amusedly _ oh how the tables have turned _. Will almost says it out loud, knowing Hannibal would appreciate the pun, but refrains - right now he has more important things to attend to. 

*

Hannibal is rapidly losing control but loving every second of it. He can't recall the last time someone manhandled him like this and he loves it. Due to his classically Alpha characteristics, combined with his status, even the Alphas he's been with have always handled him...respectfully - which he likes, but he himself is a passionate man, and there is _ nothing _he loves more than giving and receiving unrestrained passion. And that is what Will is giving to him now. It’s easy for him to get lost in the wave of his passion, surrounded by his floral scent everywhere. Even gravity is absent as Will's Alpha strength holds him pinned to the door. And as his cock grinds against him through his clothes he can't help the desperate moans that escape him, legs locked around Will’s strong body, struggling to find a rhythm with the limited leverage he has.

*

Will's inner Alpha is roaring for him to take what up until today he didn't know was being offered, to make up for lost time, to give the man he loves what he wants. What they both want. God how things can change so quickly, this night has been a roller coaster for him and it's not even over yet! He is sure the best is yet to come. Automatically he smirks to himself thinking _ oh god it’s like Hannibal’s puns have infected him _ . But speaking of the best, he has the love of his life in his arms, but he wants to be _ in him _ and soon. 

Grunting with effort, Will turns, carrying Hannibal over to his small bed and releasing him onto it. As he looks down Will can't help how surreal it feels seeing his gorgeously mussed posh boyfriend spread out on his single bed surrounded by the detritus that is his life. In a strange way Hannibal looks like he belongs there, as incongruent as the thought is. But Will doesn’t linger on it, instead starting to undo Hannibal’s belt. 

As he does, Hannibal fumbles in his pocket for something and manages to pull it out before Will succeeds in pulling his pants all the way off, with Hannibal kicking off his shoes in the process. Will makes quick work of his own pants and underwear, and when he looks back at the older Alpha, Hannibal presses a small packet into his hand. When Will takes it the older doctor starts unbuttoning his shirt which distracts Will until he finally looks at what is in his hand and laughs - hospital grade lubrication. In response he raises an eyebrow at Hannibal. 

“It never hurts to be prepared,” Hannibal says, causing Will to laugh again. If he had any doubts Hannibal actually wants this they are non-existent now.

“What were you a fucking boy scout?” Will asks, but there’s no bite behind the words and they’re both laughing - Will finds he has never felt this free during sex, he feels so incredibly in love - no longer drunk on alcohol but on love for this man. 

“I don’t hear you complaining,” Hannibal says and Will smiles, opening the packet as Hannibal stretches out on his bed, now nude after shrugging his shirt off. The older Alpha raises his legs and Will’s mouth goes dry, thinking _ holy fuck _ how did he get so lucky? But he's not one to let an opportunity like this pass him by. Will must be staring longer than he thinks because Hannibal continues, “But _ I _might start complaining if you don't touch me soon, my love.”

Will’s heart flutters at the endearment and he kicks into action, kneeling forward on his bed. He runs his hand up Hannibal's abdomen through his chest hair to rest over his heart as he kisses him, before pulling back, opening the packet and slipping one finger inside the gorgeous Alpha below him, barely believing this is really happening. He uses his other hand to stroke Hannibal's cock and is mesmerized by the sensuality, of the control he has, thinking he could _ definitely _ get used to this. He neither rushes the experience nor draws it out needlessly and when it feels right he inserts a second finger, seeing Hannibal's eyes open to look at him, nothing but desperation and hunger in them. 

*

Hannibal feels like he's drowning in sensation - he’s being played like an instrument by a highly skilled musician. It's been a _ long _ time since he has felt this way, surrendered so blindly and trustingly to another. But Will hasn't let him down yet, and by the way things are going he doubts its possible for him to be disappointed. Right now Will is the embodiment of a competent Alpha male, taking care of his partner. And when Hannibal feels a second finger enter him he looks up, suddenly desperate for more, wanting Will to be in him, to make love to him. 

“Please Will mmm-” He’s barely said the words when a third slippery finger is added and his eyes roll back in pleasure as those seeking fingers change angle and find his prostate. He’s forgotten about this too - even a new doctor such as Will knows how to unerringly find a prostate. And in response Hannibal can’t help arching his back, forcing his cock further into Will’s grip - it's almost too much and yet not nearly enough. 

Suddenly Will’s hands are gone and Hannibal is about to protest until he sees Will is putting the last of the lube on his own straining erection, and wiping the excess on Hannibal’s cock which causes Hannibal to moan at the pleasure and anticipation.

And just as they excel in wordlessly communicating at work, Will seems to read his body language because he gets into position, meeting his gaze. He sweetly, tenderly kisses the inside of Hannibal’s knee before lining up and slowly pushing in.

*

Will’s eyes nearly roll back in his head as he enters the gorgeous body below him, but he forces them to stay open to watch the way Hannibal responds. The older doctor moans as he is breached, and with their gazes locked on one another, somehow it's even more intimate than the times they’ve been together before, enhanced with the knowledge that they love each other. Will feels the ultimate freedom that he no longer has to hide his love, nor his crummy apartment apparently. No secrets. 

The feeling is heavenly, perfect - it feels like it's meant to be, like they are completing the other half of their yin and yang, balancing their relationship. Will continues a slow steady pressure until he's flush with Hannibal, feeling his hot skin against his own, hissing out his breath at how good it feels while trying to give Hannibal time to adjust before he moves in earnest. 

After a moment Hannibal's legs squeeze around his waist and Will takes that as a sign to move. He pulls out and thrusts back in, exploring, learning what feels good to him, what seems to feel good to Hannibal, all the while feeling surprisingly at ease, wanting to please the man below him more than anything. 

Soon they have a rhythm building, the sounds of their moans, groans, and grunts becoming louder in the quiet space. On an impulse Will lifts one of Hannibal's long legs over his shoulder and all of a sudden the angle seems better for both of them. Will reaches down to stroke Hannibal in time with his thrusts the best he can, feeling both Hannibal's knot and his own swelling. Hannibal's hand joins his own on Hannibal's cock and Will gasps out, “Hannibal I’m close.”

“Me too,” Hannibal says and Will doesn't think he's ever heard him so wrecked, he loves it.

Now Will’s knot is bumping against Hannibal's rim on every thrust and just a glance down has him moments away from orgasm at the thought of knotting not just any Alpha male but Hannibal, the man he loves, being as connected to him as he physically can be, as he asks, “Can I?”

Hannibal's answer is a vigorous, “Yes, please Will! Yes!”

Reluctantly Will has to let go of Hannibal's cock to get leverage and he sees Hannibal continue to stroke himself as he fucks him and it's too good, too much. He thrusts a few more times, angling the best he can at Hannibal's prostate before he pushes his knot in and comes harder than he can recall in a long time.

*

Hannibal has had a lot of sex in his life but its mostly been rut sex. And it's never been with someone he loves, so the fact that he feels so emotionally overwhelmed shouldn't surprise him, but it does. Sex has never felt like this, like the completion of a circuit. Having sex with Will has been the most intimate sex hes ever had, the most meaningful, but now, opening and surrendering both his body and his heart to this man makes him feel weak but also so happy, vulnerable yet comforted. It's all very conflicting and scary but also thrilling. He's in love. 

And when Will, sweet powerful Will, is looming over him, and he’s surrounded by his scent, feeling him inside his body it feels like coming home - the feeling is so intense his eyes get moist with the power of emotion. And as the pleasure builds, just when Hannibal thinks it can't get any better he feels what he hasn't felt in a long time, a knot pressing against his entrance as his prostate is relentlessly pounded and Will desperately asking, “Can I?”

Hannibal’s response is equally desperate, he wants it all. And he is not disappointed. When Will pushes in, locking them together and spending his release inside, Hannibal is pushed over the edge and comes hard, his own release spilling hot over his abdomen as his body clings to Will, holding him in place. And when the blinding pleasure passes he opens his eyes and sees the same ecstasy written across Will’s face.

In that moment Hannibal feels exposed, emotions raw and eyes wet as he pulls Will down, his leg dropping off the other man’s shoulder as he kisses him, saying, “I love you Will, I love you.”

*

Will smiles, his own eyes moist with joy and happiness as he repeats the words, “I love you too Hannibal, god I love you so much,” in between kisses. Eventually their kisses become gentler as their bodies relax as best they can in their joined position. 

Hannibal's hands gently caress over his body and Will relaxes into it, his own fingers wandering anywhere he can reach, currently embedded in his chest hair. Eventually Will slips out causing them both to wince slightly.

“Did it hurt?” Will asks, fingers now caressing the older doctor’s muscular leg.

In response Hannibal pulls him down so he’s laying more fully on top of him, kissing him soundly as he says, “No it didn't, it was perfect Will.”

Will smiles wide, he feels the same way and he kisses Hannibal again. He almost gets lost in it when he realizes he feels the unpleasant cooling on his softening cock and is sure Hannibal feels more than that.

“Do you want to get cleaned up? You're welcome to stay over by the way, if you don't mind a small bed,” Will offers.

Hannibal smiles and nuzzles his nose against his as he says, “I don't mind at all, as long as you’re in it. And yes I would like to clean up.”

“Bathroom is there,” Will points at the only door other than the front door in the apartment, adding “Use anything you'd like.”

Once Hannibal is gone Will quickly straightens up the area and grabs two bottles of water out of the kitchen. As he sits back down on the bed Hannibal's clove scent wafts up from it and he smiles with giddy happiness.

When Hannibal comes out Will takes his turn washing up. And when he returns he is greeted to the sight of Hannibal lying on his bed clad only in his boxers drinking a bottle of water and looking unfairly gorgeous. Instantly Will climbs onto the narrow bed, settling in next to him, happy when Hannibal’s arm comes around him. As they cuddle, Will can’t help but reflect on the events that transpired this evening and finds the whole situation a bit surreal, but if this is his new reality he _ really _ isn’t complaining. 

Eventually Will feels a different kind of hunger, realizing their dinner consisted of nothing but alcohol. “Wanna order pizza?” he asks after doing a mental inventory of his kitchen and coming up empty. It’s actually a good reminder that he needs to go grocery shopping. Hannibal nuzzles at his hair and Will feels like he’s melting under the love and comfort. He doesn’t want anything that requires them to get dressed right now. 

“We could...but if you don’t mind me raiding your kitchen I might be able to make something better,” Hannibal says.

Will turns his face up to Hannibal, eyebrows raised. He already knows Hannibal is a highly talented cook but even the best chefs are still limited by their ingredients. Will is happy to find his insecurity from before seems long gone as he realizes he can’t imagine something as small as having Top Ramen in his cupboard will negate Hannibal’s love for him. 

“I don’t mind at all, but I am serious when I tell you there isn’t much for you to work with.”

Despite a groan of protest from himself, Hannibal extricates himself and wanders the short distance over to the kitchen. Will decides to stay on his bed, enjoying the view of Hannibal clad only in boxers intuitively navigating his kitchen. He watches, amused, as the older doctor takes inventory, leveling some unimpressed looks at him, especially at the freezer. Will struggles to remember what is in there but is soon shown a box of mini corn dogs and he laughs, teasing Hannibal by saying, “You’re slumming it _ doctor. _”

Will is greatly amused to see Hannibal’s cheeks flush when he intentionally calls him _ doctor_ , but after a moment he responds, “_Evidently_,” with a smirk of his own.

However, despite the limited means and Will’s skepticism, half an hour later Hannibal has created something that is, indeed, better than pizza and Will is in awe once again at how Hannibal can turn junk food into delicious cuisine. Against his own better judgement Will can’t help but imagine that this is what life would be like married to Hannibal - eating his amazing creations every day, watching him walk around in his underwear, sleeping next to him…. And it’s with those thoughts as he cuddles in tightly next to him on his narrow bed, that he falls into a blissful sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ♥♥♥ Thank you to all who have read this far and stuck with it! ♥♥♥
> 
> As always I'd love to hear your feedback in a comment below! or hmu [here](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com) on tumblr ^_^ 
> 
> If you like the story feel free to share it [here on tumblr](https://madsteacup.tumblr.com/post/614610365768220672/show-chapter-archive) or [here on twitter](https://twitter.com/madsteacup/status/1246980621034901505?s=20)
> 
> **Medical Terminology: **  
**\- Anesthesia**\- medication given to make someone unconcious/pain free during surgery  
**\- Contraindications**\- reasons why a surgery would not be safe or appropriate  
**\- Methadone**\- a pain medication that can also be used for people addicted to pain meds or heroin  
**\- Tumor biopsy and excision**\- surgery to remove a mass of tissue and determine if it is benign (not of concern) or malignant (harmful)  



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